Here’s the translation to American English:
Dr. Laura G. Estévez, chief oncologist of the breast tumors section at the MD Anderson Cancer Center Madrid, has completed a long-awaited study on HER2-positive breast cancer. This research advancement was made possible thanks to the funds raised at the XIII Charity Paddle Tournament organized by the Clínica Menorca Foundation, which collected a total of 8,000 euros last year. The event was organized by Dr. Ángel Martín, president of the foundation, with the goal of promoting oncological research.
The study focuses on samples from one hundred patients diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer who had received chemotherapy and anti-HER2 therapy. One of the most significant findings indicates that patients with a body mass index above 25, meaning those who are overweight or obese, showed a higher presence of infiltrating lymphocytes in the tumor, known as TILs, in the initial biopsies.
Although a higher number of TILs is generally associated with a better treatment response, the study’s results revealed that in these cases, this relationship did not hold. Dr. Estévez suggests that a possible explanation could be that these lymphocytes express a protein called PD1, which may be hindering their ability to combat the tumor. “This significant finding raises new questions about the influence of the metabolic environment on the immune response to cancer,” the oncologist emphasized.
The research represents a significant advance in understanding how overweight and obesity affect the progression of breast cancer. Dr. Estévez concluded that it is necessary to expand the sample and continue collecting data to confirm these hypotheses and move toward more personalized treatments. This progress has been facilitated by the generous commitment of the tournament participants, who contributed to a crucial cause in the fight against cancer.
Source: MiMub in Spanish
