Low Prevalence Tumours

Coordinator: Enrique de Álava/ Co-coordinator: Ignacio Melero

The determination of biomarkers in a tumour tissue and in peripheral blood is vital information, capable of predicting the probability of response of cancer patients to different treatments such as the ones based on directed or immunological therapies. Due to its lower incidence in society we currently have less knowledge of this type of biomarkers in low prevalence tumours.

This programme has combined the potential of 7 research groups expert in low prevalence tumours, including carcinomas, sarcomas, melanomas and tumours of the nervous system, to identify and validate new biomarkers of tissues connected with systemic disease and metastatic dissemination, the tumour microenvironment (especially inflammatory and immune components) and possible therapeutic targets for this type of neoplasm.

Lines of research:

• Identification of predictive and prognostic biomarkers for sarcomas, carcinomas, melanomas and tumours of the nervous system with transversal value in other low-prevalence neoplasms.
• Evaluation and validation of the clinical relevance of exosomes, circulating tumour cells and circulating tumour DNA as a reservoir of markers of metastasis and chemoresistance.
• Study of the immune microatmosphere in the tumour tissue of patients and in vivo models.
• Development and validation of immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence trials on vascular, inflammatory and immune infiltration in solid tumours.

Groups: