The goal of this interventional, prospective research on human bodily material is to discover new, cancer-specific molecular structures (i.e. glycopeptides) within surgically removed, estrogen receptor positive breast cancer tumors. The main goal it aims to achieve is: To discover tumor-specific targets, that allow the use of very potent immunotherapeutic drugs as treatment for solid tumors, such as estrogen receptor positive breast cancer. These new targets are very specific for cancer cells, meaning that virtually no healthy cells should be attacked by the treatment, resulting in less side effects. Participants will undergo standard of care treatment, comprising surgical removal of the breast tumor. Part of these tissues will be used for this clinical research.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
36
As the standard of care, estrogen receptor-positive breast tumors are surgically resected. From these resected tumors, small samples of both cancer tissue and healthy surrounding tissue will be analyzed using our patented Tn-Miner workflow to discover novel tumor-specific epitopes.
AZ Maria Middelares
Ghent, East-Flanders, Belgium
University Hospital Ghent
Ghent, East-Flanders, Belgium
Discovery of new, tumor-specific, glycopeptide epitopes.
The discovery of new antigens, comprising both glycan and peptide (=glycopeptide), on the outside of the plasma membrane of the breast cancer cells. These antigens should be absent on healthy cells. These new, glycopeptide antigens can be used as target for immunotherapeutics against cancer.
Time frame: The patients are only involved during their standard of care surgery (one day). The discovered epitopes will not be shared with enrolled patients.
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