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HEIndividual fellowship2024–2026

HD-BRECA · Integrating longitudinal multi-modal profiling of metastatic breast cancer patients for high-definition oncology

Horizon Europe — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2024-06-01 → 2026-05-31
EU contribution
€165,313
Participants
1
Scheme
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.

Results in brief

Integrating longitudinal multi-modal profiling of metastatic breast cancer patients for high-definition oncology

The current paradigm in cancer care, known as precision medicine, tailors treatments based on the genetic profile of a patient's tumor. While this has been a significant step forward from the 'one-size-fits-all' approach, its success is limited. A considerable number of patients do not respond to therapies that should, in theory, be effective for them. This indicates that factors beyond genomics play a crucial role in a patient's journey with cancer. The HD-BRECA project is founded on the understanding that a more holistic view is necessary to truly personalize cancer treatment. The overall objective is to move beyond precision medicine into 'high-definition medicine'. This new approach considers not just the tumor's genetics, but a wide array of other data dimensions that influence health and disease. These include the patient's gut microbiome, diet, physical activity, routine medications, environmental exposures, and even physiological patterns like heart rate and sleep rhythms. To achieve this, HD-BRECA will pioneer the largest study of its kind in advanced breast cancer. We will create a comprehensive, multi-dimensional dataset by following a group of 100 patients with metastatic breast cancer. By integrating and analyzing this wealth of information, the project aims to build a much more accurate predictive model of the disease's progression. The expected impact is transformative. By understanding the complex interplay of factors that determine treatment success, HD-BRECA will 'set the scene' for a new chapter in oncology. The project will provide clinicians with better tools to predict patient outcomes, paving the way for more effective, truly personalized interventions. Ultimately, this will help to overcome the current limitations in breast cancer therapy and improve the quality of life for patients. The methodologies developed will also serve as a blueprint for applying the high-definition medicine paradigm to other types of cancer.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

Precision Oncology has revolutionized cancer therapeutics, mostly by matching genomic alterations with molecularly targeted agents. Yet, current predictive capacity is imperfect even in best-case scenarios (tumors driven by oncogene addiction against which a targeted agent exists). To push the field forward, we propose to exploit recent technological advances to analyze longitudinal profiles of cancer patients that encompass dimensions beyond the genetic profile: physiological monitoring, e-health records, patient-reported outcomes, medical imaging, and multi-omics. The integration of this multi-dimensional data with personalized genomics will allow an unprecedented level of understanding of cancer processes, identifying the features that drive patient disease trajectories, eliciting truly precision interventions.The goal of this project is to use this approach to improve the current predictive ability and break current efficacy plateaus in advanced breast cancers. I will integrate longitudinal data of a cohort of 100 hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer patients in first line of treatment with CDK4/6 inhibitors and hormone inhibitors, monitored until disease progression or treatment failure. This constitutes the largest high-definition medicine study in advanced breast cancer patients to date. I will use data across 10 different modalities to establish disease trajectories, relate molecular features to clinical outcomes and build predictive models for prognosis. This integrative project combines translational and clinical oncology, engineering, and data science, to transition from the current genomics-centered precision oncology approach to high-definition oncology, a model in which deep longitudinal patient monitoring achieves a comprehensive personalized oncology.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

  • FUNDACION SECTOR PUBLICO ESTATAL CENTRO NACIONAL INVESTIGACIONES ONCOLOGICAS CARLOS III · MadridCoordinatorSpain

Links

Data: CORDIS, © European Union