Grant: CIHR - ICR / Cancer Research Society Partnership - Res. Grants - Breast Cancer

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive form of breast cancer that is difficult to treat and increasingly affects younger women. Research suggests that belly fat cells can release signals that help breast cancer cells grow and spread, but these signals are not well understood. The age at which a person develops obesity, as well as whether they later lose weight, may influence these signals. In this study, we will examine how age of obesity onset affects communication between belly fat cells and TNBC cells, and whether weight loss alters this interaction. By comparing signals from individuals with childhood- versus adult- onset obesity, before and after weight loss, this research aims to support more personalized approaches to TNBC prevention and treatment.