Systems Immunology for Breast Cancer
Abstract
Solid cancers are caricatures of normal tissues, and as such represent complex cellular 'ecosystems' in which the pathogenesis and drug response of the tumour is a product of the cellular milieu. However, the tumour microenvironment (TME) of solid cancers is poorly defined, limiting the development of the next generation of diagnostics and therapies. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive disease associated with poor prognosis. Several lines of evidence suggest that anti-tumour immunity can contribute to breast cancer control if appropriately activated. For instance, tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) number associates with prognosis, and activating TILs through cell-antibody-mediated therapy can improve outcomes for breast cancer. However, the current regimen of checkpoint immunotherapy is yet to make a substantial impact on the management of breast cancer, suggesting mechanisms of immune evasion other than via the PD1/CTLA4 axes. This proposal combines the analysis of human clinical specimens with cutting edge spatial transcriptomics, ex vivo functional assays, single cell RNA-Sequencing and syngeneic mouse models of disease.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2022
- Accession Number
- AD1205018
Entities
People
- Alexander Swarbrick
Organizations
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research