Some breast cancers are driven by inherited mutations in genes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2. Most are “sporadic,” driven by unknown causes or by environmental or behavioral factors like obesity, lack of exercise, or alcohol use. Breast cancer has several subtypes. Which include ductal carcinoma in situ, or (DCIS), invasive ductal, lobular carcinoma in situ, or (LCIS), invasive lobular, and inflammatory breast cancers.
Breast cancer is commonly categorized and treated according to its molecular targets or lack thereof. These targets include the estrogen receptor (ER+/-), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2+/-). Triple-negative breast cancer lacks these three targets.
Our Breast Cancer Researchers
Our interdisciplinary scientists and clinicians work together to prevent, diagnose and treat breast cancer as well as other cancers and diseases.
Patient Treatment & Care
At Fred Hutch, our interdisciplinary teams work together to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, HIV/AIDS and other diseases. Our aim is to provide patients access to advanced treatment options while getting the best cancer care.
Breast Cancer Clinical Trials
Clinical research is an essential part of the scientific process that leads to new treatments and better care. Clinical trials can also be a way for patients to get early access to new cutting-edge therapies. Our clinical research teams are running clinical studies on several kinds of breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Research
Treatment for breast cancer generally involves a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Anti-hormone drugs are also commonly used with ER+ disease. Fred Hutch researchers are refining these longstanding treatments, where possible, to reduce toxic side effects. Our scientists are also working to develop new targeted therapies and immunotherapies, including vaccines.
Breast cancer research at Fred Hutch is all-encompassing. Our scientists pinpoint new risk factors and improve detection. We delve into the genetic drivers of the disease, finesse current therapies and develop new ones. Our scientists strive to enhance survivorship and patient outcomes. And we work to develop curative therapies for metastasis and reduce the health disparities and global burden of this cancer.
Early Detection, Biomarkers and Screening
Our work in early detection covers a broad spectrum. And it ranges from refining current methods of screening to discovering and validating new biomarkers. It includes the use of community educators and comic books to promote health literacy in underserved populations.
Genetics of the Disease
Our researchers are working to pinpoint the key gene mutations in many cancers, including breast cancer. They seek to understand how these mutations promote the development and progression of tumors.
Risk Factors and Risk Reduction
Our scientists have identified several risk factors for developing breast cancer. These include alcohol use and poor sleep.
Our epidemiologists have also done extensive research into ways women can reduce their risk. Regular exercise is highly recommended, both for undiagnosed women and survivors of early-stage cancers seeking to avoid metastatic recurrence. Our researchers are investigating how exercise combats the disease by analyzing blood, biomarkers and muscle tissue before and after exercise.
Our scientists are also examining additional risk factors, such as oral contraceptive use, in relation to certain genetic susceptibilities. The goal of these studies is to assess how genes and environmental factors interact to promote breast cancer.
Treating Metastatic Disease
Our researchers are exploring new ways to treat people with stage 4 breast cancer, which currently has no cure. In particular, they are testing whether they can harness the immune system, including using engineered immune cells, studying new targeted therapies and using molecular imaging and analysis to identify which patients may benefit from less-toxic therapies. In addition, our translational researchers are studying both the path of metastasis and the microenvironment of dormant metastatic cells within bone marrow in order to find ways to prevent future metastasis.
Survivorship and Long-Term Side Effects
Our researchers are working to lessen the collateral damage and long-term side effects of cancer treatment. Their efforts include studying predictors of breast cancer progression and recurrence, how treatments may influence the risk of secondary cancers, and how lifestyle choices may increase quality of life and reduce risk of recurrence.
Breast Cancer Initiative 2.5
Breast Cancer Initiative 2.5 is uniting the global breast cancer community behind a common goal to make breast health a global priority and reduce disparities in breast cancer outcomes for 2.5 million women by 2025.
Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI)
The Breast Health Global Initiative is striving to improve breast health outcomes and access to breast cancer screening, detection and treatment for women in low- and middle-income countries.
Contact: Marisa Hartman, mhartman@fredhutch.org
Effect of Weight Loss and Exercise on Biomarkers of Breast Cancer Risk
Public Health Sciences, EpidemiologyInvestigators explore microRNAs and their correlation to breast cancer biomarkers, how weight loss affects their relationship to cancer and obesity, and how the genes are expressed in fat tissue.
Funding Agency: Breast Cancer Research Foundation
Contact: Anne McTiernan, amctiern@fredhutch.org
Epidemiology of the Four Most Frequent Cancers Following Breast Cancer (ORCA) Study
Public Health Sciences, EpidemiologyBreast cancer survivors have an increased risk of developing a second primary cancer. Researchers are studying the epidemiologic, clinical, and molecular determinants of the four most common types of second primary cancer diagnosed among breast cancer survivors.
Funding Agency: National Cancer Institute
Contact: Cecilia O'Brien, cobrien@fredhutch.org
Inherited Variation in Tamoxifen Metabolizing Genes and the Effectiveness of Tamoxifen in Treating Breast Cancer
Public Health Sciences, EpidemiologyScientists are investigating whether inherited variations in key drug-metabolizing genes modify the risk of recurrence and death in breast cancer patients treated with Tamoxifen.
Funding Agency: National Cancer Institute
Contact: Kathi Malone, kmalone@fredhutch.org
Mammographic Density and Risk of Contralateral Breast Cancer
- Kathleen Malone, Ph.D.
- Jonine Bernstein, Ph.D.
- Julia Knight
Researchers are determining whether mammographic density can be used as a risk predictor for contralateral breast cancer and the extent to which breast cancer treatments modify mammographic density.
Funding Agency: National Cancer Institute
Contact: Cecilia O'Brien, cobrien@fredhutch.org
Molecular Pathoepidemiology of Contralateral Breast Cancer
- Kathleen Malone, Ph.D.
- Jonine Bernstein, Ph.D.
This study seeks to identify biomarkers in first primary breast tumors that can help predict risk of subsequent contralateral breast cancer.
Funding Agency: National Cancer Institute
Contact: Cecilia O'Brien, cobrien@fredhutch.org
Predictors of Cardiovascular Disease Among Breast Cancer Survivors
Public Health Sciences, Cancer PreventionThe goal of this study is to examine overall cardiovascular disease events in two matched cohorts with and without breast cancer history and test whether breast cancer treatments received or medication adherence mediates this relationship.
Funding Agency: National Institutes of Health
Contact: Lisa Levy, llevy@fredhutch.org
Women's Health after Breast Cancer (QUILT) Study
Public Health Sciences, EpidemiologyThis follow-up study of women with invasive breast cancer was developed to investigate how patient characteristics, exposures before and after breast cancer diagnosis, and tumor markers affect the risk of recurrence and death.
Funding Agency: National Cancer Institute
Contact: Cecilia O'Brien, cobrien@fredhutch.org