Page 53 - MBCA_FULL REPORT_FINAL_FOR_WEB

Are there other • In vitro models of MBC are insufficient; we need reproducible in vivo models
aspects of MBC of MBC
research we should • Need a better understanding of the natural history of MBC
discuss?
• Need to understand whether a metastatic cell is truly a cancer or aggressive cell;
for example, in pancreatic cancer there are “metastatic” cells that are from non-
cancerous hyperplasia (equivalent to DCIS or ADH in the breast)—that is, they
have become metastatic but are not yet designated a cancer cell; whether this
same phenomenon happens in breast hyperplasia is unknown

• Reproducibility is key; several labs share cell lines and animal models of MBC
that other labs have used incorrectly, thus drawing incorrect conclusions in their
research publications

• Important to look at the whole person, not just the primary tumor or metastatic
site; for example, we now know that giving prophylactic antibiotics during
chemotherapy may result in worse outcomes, because the patient’s microbiome
is disturbed; need to study what role the microbiome has in health, immune
function, response to therapy, etc.

Abbreviations: ADH = atypical ductal hyperplasia, BC= breast cancer, CDK4/6 = cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6, CTC = circulating tumor cells,
ctDNA = circulating tumor DNA, DCIS = ductal carcinoma in situ, ER+ = estrogen receptor positive breast cancer, HER2+ = human epidermal growth
factor receptor2–positive breast cancer, HSP90 = heat shock protein 90, IBC = inflammatory breast cancer, MBC = metastatic breast cancer,
PARP = poly-ADP ribose polymerase, PI3K = phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase, RECIST = Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, TNBC = triple
negative breast cancer.

53