Breast cancer aggressiveness in young patients

Division Of Basic Sciences - Nci

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

Lung metastasis in four experimental model systems was not affected by mouse age. In two brain metastasis model systems, young mice developed significantly greater metastases. Current efforts are examining (1) other brain metastasis models, (2) the effect of mouse age on liver metastases, (3) the role of the young immune system in producing increased metastases, (4) proteomic differences in the metastatic microenvironment of young and aged brains. With regard to immunity, collaborative experiments have shown an immunosuppressive infiltration of T- and monocytic cells into brain metastasis containing animals. Select subsets of immune cells vary by mouse age in metastatic brains, and their functional contributions are undergoing testing.