Preclinical assessment of anti-invasive therapies for triple negative breast cancer
Cornelis Hanne, 2025
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a fast-growing and aggressive type of breast cancer that accounts for 10-15% of all breast cancer cases. It spreads easily to other parts of the body and in nearly half of the TNBC patients, the cancer will form metastases. When this happens, the survival time for the patients is approximately 13.3 months. Treating TNBC is difficult because there are limited treatment options. This highlights the need for new therapeutic options for these patients.
This master’s dissertation project focusses on testing new treatments designed to stop cancer cells from spreading to other parts of the body, a process called invasion and metastasis. Cancer cells spread by breaking away from the original tumour, traveling through the bloodstream or lymph system, and growing in new organs. By blocking this process, these treatments could help prevent the cancer from spreading and becoming more dangerous. One example is L-asparaginase (L-ASNase), a treatment that lowers the amount of asparagine, which is a crucial nutrient that cancer cells need to spread.
If these treatments prove effective, they could provide new hope and improved options for TNBC patients. In the long term, this research has the potential to increase survival rates and enhance quality of life for TNBC patients.
| Promotor | Nele Loret |
| Opleiding | Biomedische Wetenschappen |