Lead researcher
Dr John Price, A/Professor Anthony Magliocco, Dr Joseline Ojaimi
Institution
Monash University
Years funded
2007
Research into the causes of breast cancer in adults. Although there have been major advances in the treatment of breast cancer, the spread of cancer from its original site of growth to other sites in the body is still a major problem and the primary cause for treatment failure, poor health and death in cancer patients.
There are not many therapies, which are currently available that adequately deal with this aspect of cancer. To identify new and more effective therapies we first need to identify novel factors involved in the spread of breast cancer. We have just identified one such factor, called FKBP52, which may promote breast cancer spread, especially to the bones of patients, which can cause severe pain, immobility and even paralysis.
This proposal seeks to identify the roles of FKBP52 in the spread of breast cancer in the body and in doing so will provide information to enable the development of new drugs that could be more effective in treating the spread of cancer. This would ultimately provide better therapies and better outcomes for breast cancer patients. Moreover, this study also seeks to investigate whether the production of FKBP52 in breast cancers in patients determines whether a patient will develop secondary cancers.
By attaining this information, clinicians will be better placed to treat patients appropriately with improved outcomes. It is hoped that through the success of this project that a deeper knowledge of breast cancer spread is attained, new therapeutic targets are identified and the information for the development of new therapies will be provided.
Award / Duration
Research Grant: 2007
Funding
70000