The Paseíco de la Mama solidarity initiative has enabled VHIO’s Breast Cancer Group to carry out numerous research projects over the past 14 years.
The amount raised in 2024 was 70,346.60€, the largest amount in the successful history of this collaboration. This amount has been used to fund the INSP3KTION project, led by Dr. Marta Perachino, a clinical researcher in VHIO’s Breast Cancer Group.
“The INSP3KTION study seeks to understand better the biological changes in healthy breast tissue and their relationship with the development of breast cancer”, explains Dr. Perachino.
Origin of the INSP3KTION project
In 2023, a study led by Dr. Cristina Saura, head of the Breast Unit at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital and the VHIO Breast Cancer Group, and Dr. Ana Vivancos, head of the VHIO Cancer Genomics Group, demonstrated for the first time that breast milk from breast cancer patients contains tumour DNA, known as circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA).
This ctDNA can be detected by liquid biopsy in breast milk and could become a new tool in the future for the early diagnosis of breast cancer in the postpartum period.
Analysis of this circulating DNA in breast milk has revealed the presence of activating mutations in the PIK3CA gene in breast milk samples from healthy women, with no malignant lesions observed in their follow-up, currently limited to 24 months.
Understanding the biology of breast tissue changes
With these findings as a starting point and thanks to the support received from the Paseíco de la Mama initiative, the INSP3KTION project aims to investigate the prevalence of mutations in the PIK3CA gene and 53 other breast cancer-related genes in both healthy breast tissue and benign breast lesions.
Dr Perachino adds: “We will analyse breast tissue samples from 120 women without evidence of neoplasia who have undergone breast surgery for prophylactic or cosmetic reasons or breast biopsies with benign findings”.
The aim of this analysis is to identify mutations associated with breast cancer and to deepen our understanding of the biological processes related to the physiological changes that occur during the maturation of breast tissue.
The results of this trial will be crucial in understanding the molecular changes that may contribute to the development of benign and malignant breast lesions, and in the future, help to properly interpret the molecular alterations present in breast milk.
“I’m grateful for Paseíco de la Mama 2024’s generous contribution, which will go entirely to this project. And I’m thankful for the support we received, and the trust people placed in us”, she commented.
Finally, it should be noted that the INSP3KTION project’s focus on healthy patients has great potential as it will provide fundamental knowledge that could make a significant difference in the prevention, early diagnosis and understanding of the mechanisms that lead to the development of breast cancer.
