Pink October: an update on breast cancer research at GIGA

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. The latest statistics indicate that one in nine women will be diagnosed with it. This disease results from the uncontrolled proliferation of breast cells, which may remain localized or spread to other organs in the form of metastases. Thanks to research, treatments are now increasingly personalized, combining surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapies depending on the type and stage of the cancer. 

In Liège, breast cancer research is actively pursued at GIGA and CHU

As part of Pink October, it is important to highlight local scientific efforts that contribute to reducing breast cancer. GIGA teams are conducting cutting-edge research to better understand the mechanisms of this disease and develop new therapeutic approaches.

This research, conducted in close collaboration between researchers, clinicians from the CHU's oncology department, and bioinformaticians, aims to offer patients personalized solutions that are more effective and better tolerated. It is part of a translational research approach, where laboratory discoveries are based on clinical observations and where new discoveries are quickly integrated into clinical practice.

Deciphering the genetic mechanisms of cancer

Pierre Foidart, in collaboration with Pierre Close (Laboratory of Cancer Signaling), is interested in a phenomenon observed in about half of breast cancers: the doubling of the genome of cancer cells. This change, which is common in triple-negative forms, seems to allow them to escape the immune system. The researchers are analyzing how this alteration influences protein production and gives tumor cells a proliferation advantage.

Targeting the most aggressive forms

Alain Chariot's team (Laboratory of Medical Chemistry) is studying triple-negative breast tumors, known for their aggressiveness and ability to form metastases. The researchers are attempting to identify the molecules involved in this process, particularly those that enable cancer cells to change shape in order to move more easily within the body. This research could lead to new therapeutic approaches to prevent the spread of cancer.

Overcoming resistance to treatment

Nor Eddine Sounni's team (Laboratory of Biology of Tumor and Development) is exploring the mechanisms of resistance to treatment in different types of breast cancer. It recently highlighted the role of ferroptosis, a form of cell death triggered by oxidized lipids. Resistant hormone-dependent cancers have characteristics that make them sensitive to this pathway, opening up promising prospects for overcoming resistance to conventional therapies.

Understanding the immune response

Claire Josse's team (Laboratory of Human Genetics) is studying the response of breast cancer patients to immunotherapies. Some patients show an increase in the number of eosinophils, white blood cells usually associated with allergies. Her team is seeking to understand whether these cells could be linked to the effectiveness of immunotherapies, and thus become a response marker or therapeutic target.

Anticipating the formation of metastases

Agnès Noël (Laboratory of Biology of Tumor and Development) and her team are interested in how breast cancer cells prepare certain organs to receive metastases from a distance. Even before leaving the tumor, they send signals that modify healthy tissues, particularly in the lungs and lymph nodes. The goal is to decipher this invisible dialogue between the tumor and the rest of the body, in the hope of slowing the spread of cancer.

Studying the pre-metastatic niche

The project led by Ingrid Struman's team (Molecular Angiogenesis Laboratory) focuses on metastatic breast cancer, an advanced form of the disease. The researchers are studying the formation of an environment conducive to the arrival of metastases, called the pre-metastatic niche. Their work focuses on the role of exosomes, small vesicles released by the tumor, which appear to prepare tissues to receive cancer cells.

Understanding the risks associated with hormone treatments

Christel Pequeux (Laboratory of Biology of Tumor and Development) and her team are studying the molecular effects of menopause treatments, often feared for their potential link to breast cancer. Their goal is to assess the impact of these treatments on sensitive tissues such as the mammary gland and endometrium in order to develop safer therapeutic solutions that improve quality of life without increasing risks.

Controlling metabolism to reactivate anti-tumor immunity

Akeila Bellahcène's team (Metastasis Research Laboratory) is conducting research on glycation stress induced by methylglyoxal, a byproduct of glycolysis, in the context of triple-negative breast cancer. This compound has recently been implicated in the induction of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. This work suggests that blocking glycation stress could be an innovative strategy for resensitizing breast tumors to immunotherapy.