$6.5 million awarded to develop precision breast cancer research

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have been awarded $6.5 million from the US Department of Defence to help doctors predict the best treatment for patients with high-risk breast cancers.

At present only a fraction of the data collected from patients in the clinic is used to determine treatment options. This is because the data is stored in different formats and locations making it difficult to compare and analyse.

The funding will support a four-year collaboration between Prof Jean Abraham, Director of the Precision Breast Cancer Institute, and Professor Greg Hannon, Director of the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute. The project will bring together many different types of patient data and create an integrated data platform.

The research, led by Professor Jean Abraham, will enable scientists to compare and examine data and develop tools to predict the best treatment option for each patient.

Researchers in the Hannon Group at the Institute will receive $2 million to undertake a detailed analysis of individual cells in biopsy samples to increase our understanding of the development of breast cancers, their response to treatment and their potential for spreading to other parts of the body through metastasis.

Samples have been collected from over 6,000 breast cancer patients who have previously taken part in research studies and clinical trials, and have agreed for their data to be used in research, will be used to increase our understanding of how different subtypes of breast cancer respond to different treatment options.

Alongside each biopsy sample a variety of genomic, imaging, molecular and clinical data has also been recorded, but all the different types of information are currently stored separately making useful analysis difficult.

Initially these massive diverse data sets will be merged using cutting edge technology to create a multi-modal breast cancer resource called Synergia-Breast Cancer.

The data will then be analysed collectively using machine learning and artificial intelligence to identify the key factors that determine why some cancers respond to treatment and others do not, and why some cancers recur and spread while others do not.

Using the results of this analysis, the team will develop tools for use in the clinic that can predict which treatment option is best for each patient, how they will respond to treatment and detect the earliest signs of relapse.

Patient advocates have played an essential role in developing the project proposal and will be part of the research team throughout the project to ensure that the integrated data platform and prediction tools meet the needs of breast cancer patients and address any concerns.

Professor Jean Abraham said: “This project will help us answer key questions about the molecular profile, the genetics, the radiology and the pathology that we see in one person’s breast cancer that means we have to treat them differently from the person sitting next to them in the clinic.

“The Precision Breast Cancer Institute will move into the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital when it opens, further enabling us to apply the latest technologies and innovations to our research expertise and transform the way we manage breast cancer patients.”