Novel Molecular Targets for Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS)

Sentara Healthcare is a progressive and integrated healthcare organization that cares for hundreds of patients per year who are diagnosed with breast cancer and pre-invasive lesions, including atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS). Sentara Healthcare maintains a Cancer Registry which includes complete clinical information and disposition information of tissue blocks collected at the time of the core biopsy diagnosis, the surgical therapy, and upon lesion recurrence. Combined with the translational research expertise/technology in the Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine (CAPMM) at George Mason University (GMU), the Sentara Healthcare extensive patient cohort provides an opportunity to address the most fundamental unanswered questions surrounding over-treatment and under-treatment of pre-invasive breast lesions: 1. Does the histopathologic/molecular character of the carcinoma in situ, the immune infiltrate, and/or the stroma, correlate with the type of lesion (ADH, DCIS or LCIS), the grade of the lesion, or the presence of later recurrence? 2. Does the level of autophagy within the lesion duct, or the level of PMCA2, of the pre-invasive lesion, correlate with lesion grade, the level of apoptosis, or the presence of later recurrence? 3. Does the level of Vitamin D receptor correlate with the level of PMCA2?