Research projects

Exosomes are nanovesicles released into intercellular space that are capable of transmitting cellular elements, and thus being able to affect target cells. Our main objective is to demonstrate that circulating tumour exosomes in peripheral blood are indicators of tumour functionality in terms of response to treatment and prognosis in breast cancer patients. To this end, we focus on the analysis of exosomes isolated from samples of breast cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant treatment.  

Considering the group of patients already operated and with the corresponding pathological report, we have established different comparison groups according to the histopathological classification and the response to treatment. We conducted a sequencing study of exosomal small RNA isolated from peripheral blood samples. Bioinformatic analyses have allowed us to identify sequences that are differentially expressed among groups of patients classified according to different clinical parameters, risk factors and evolution data. Similarly, we are analysing the levels of exosomal protein markers along with the treatment, and we have found a pattern of differential expression among patients in neoadjuvant treatment, patients with more advanced breast cancer and healthy subjects. The increase in sample size and the information obtained through the patient follow-up program is allowing us to corroborate the usefulness of the identified markers, as well as to select those that provide a more robust predictive value.

We also have demonstrated, on the one hand, the importance of histopathological evaluation of the relapsed tumour, as the phenotypical variations that can appear seem to condition the survival of the patients, and on the other hand, the usefulness of the analysis of NT-proBNP levels as a marker of toxicity during the treatment of breast cancer.