IRBLleida won the prize II Premi Martí Via devoted to research in the field of oncology

Lleida, November 4th, 2016 The Institute of Biomedical Research Foundation Dr. Lleida Pifarré (IRBLleida) has received the II Premi Martí Via de la Fundació Vallformosa, which consists of a grant of € 30,000 allocated to research in the field of oncology. The winning project focuses on breast cancer, particularly in the type of HER2 and allow investigating a marker of response to trastuzumab (anti-HER2). This drug has had a major impact on the survival of these patients, as 60% are cured thanks to its use. It is currently struggling to achieve in research to increase the percentage of patients cured with anti-HER2 therapy. Breast cancer is very heterogeneous. 25% of breast cancers are HER2 type, which correspond to very aggressive tumors. The prognosis of patients affected by this type of disease has changed dramatically with the use of HER2 as a therapeutic target. With the emergence of drug trastuzumab in 2005, has gone from a disappointing outcome to hope for the cure 60% of patients. HER2 is a membrane protein that promotes tumor progression. The anti-HER2 inactivate this protein, which becomes less aggressive tumors. HER2 need the support of another member of the ErbB family to activate. The three possibilities are HER2 union has HER1, HER3 and HER4. Get majority member which binds HER2 in each patient's oncologist can help in its decision to propose anti-HER2 drug most suitable to get a good response to treatment.