A research team from Ireland conducted a prospective multi-center study on the role of MicroRNAs (miRNAs) in breast cancer prognosis. One hundred twenty-four patients participated in the study. The authors found that miRNAs, detected in blood samples, could be used as biomarkers to predict breast cancer recurrence. Indeed, the results established that patients with a higher expression of the miRNA type 145 were unlikely to see breast cancer recurrence. This discovery could be instrumental in providing tailored surveillance to patients based on their miRNA-145 levels. The study was published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS).

A study on a Breast Cancer Vaccine was conducted by researchers from the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. The authors found that an experimental DNA vaccine generated a robust immune response to a tumor protein. The vaccine was administered to 66 women who were followed for three to thirteen years. However, because the trial was not randomized, the results could be viewed only as preliminary. Therefore, a larger trial with randomization will be conducted by the team. The study was published in JAMA Oncology.