Our research
topics...
TOPIC 1
Detection of angiogenic cytokines in serum and plasma
of patients with breast cancer
Tumour growth is dependent on angiogenesis, which is induced by the
production of angiogenic cytokines such as the vascular endothelial
growth factor and the basic fibroblast growth factor. This studies
aims to investigate the correlations of serum and plasma levels of
angiogenic cytokines and clinico-pathological parameters in
patients with breast cancer.
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TOPIC 2
Detection and molecular
characterization of circulating tumour cells in peripheral blood of
patients with breast cancer
The development of distant metastases is the primary cause of death
in patients with breast cancer. Advances in the development of
immunocytochemical and molecular assays now enable the detection of
metastatic cells even at a single cell stage and thus carry the
promise to positively identify those patients with early
microscopic distant dissemination.
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TOPIC 3
Histomorphometrical and quantitative molecular
comparison of the first steps of metastasis of the primary tumour
and loco-regional and distant metastases in breast
cancer
The purpose of this project is to study different aspects of and
processes involved in these very first steps of breast cancer
metastasis in the primary tumour and compare them to loco-regional
axillary lymph node metastases and distant metastases (e.g. liver)
in patients with breast cancer.
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TOPIC 4
Morphological study of inflammatory breast
cancer
Inflammatory breast cancer has a distinct growth pattern compared
to non-inflammatory breast cancer. The growth pattern of
inflammatory breast cancer in patients migth indicate that the
intravascular component of inflammatory breast cancer is
responsible for the fast local growth of inflammatory breast
cancer: involvement of the breast with subsequent inflammatory
signs typically occurs within weeks.
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TOPIC 5
Distinct molecular signature of inflammatory breast
cancer by genome-wide gene expression analysis
Inflammatory breast cancer is a distinct and aggressive form of
locally advanced breast cancer with largely unknown genetic
determinants. The identification of new diagnostic and predictive
factors and of new therapeutic targets might improve disease
outcome. We used cDNA microarrays to perform a genome-wide
expression profiling of inflammatory breast cancer.
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TOPIC 6
DNA methylation profile of inflammatory breast
tumours
Hypermethylation of gene promoters is a common mechanism of loss of
gene function in cancer cells. Thus far, no data on epigenetic
alterations in human IBC are available. Microarray studies have
shown that IBC is characterised by a distinct gene expression
pattern when compared to non-IBC. In this study, we sought to
determine whether the profiles of gene hypermethylation differ
between IBC and non-IBC.
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TOPIC 7
The AKT/mTOR/p70S6K1 pathway in human epithelial
ovarian cancer
The AKT/mTOR/p70S6K1 pathway is hyperactive in a majority of
ovarian tumours. The pathway is associated with increased protein
translation, enhanced angiogenesis, cell cycle regulation and
proliferation. The object of this project at the TCRG-Antwerp
laboratory is to study this pathway in human epithelial ovarian
cancer.
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