a) Research focus, goals and research activities (focusing on lab’s technical expertise)
Our research focuses on unmet needs and unanswered questions that are clinically relevant in breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide and in Singapore, where it is the leading cause of cancer death. Ethnic differences in breast cancer remains poorly understood; ethnic disparities in outcomes here in Singapore need to be addressed and eradicated urgently from a multifaceted approach. Apart from interrogating the standard clinicopathological characteristics and treatment factors, to understand why outcomes have persistently been worse in Malay patients, we seek to decipher differences in tumour biology driving the adverse disease trajectory.
Giving the right treatment at the right time, to the right patient, is another research theme. Our biomarker research also includes liquid biopsies, that may be useful to detect and predict outcomes and guide treatment. We aim to dissect the heterogeneity of breast cancer, and to develop better strategies to treat the disease. De-escalation of treatment may be appropriate for some patients, while escalation with novel regimens may be required for others.
Our phase II investigator-initiated trial on Lenvatinib and Pembrolizumab in Endocrine Resistant Breast Cancer with Letrozole in the Advanced setting (LaPemERLA; NCT05286437) is based on supporting preclinical efficacy. We aim to develop an effective immunotherapy combination strategy for treatment-resistant metastatic luminal breast cancers, which are typically “immune-cold”. Accrual is currently ongoing, with over half of the target number of patients enrolled so far. We have been banking blood, tissue and faecal specimens in this clinical trial, and are also generating patient-derived breast cancer models in collaboration with other researchers in NCCS.
b) Role in NCCS research ecosystem to improve patient outcomes
Using the data and tissue from our patients, we strive to improve our understanding of breast cancer biology to give the right treatment to the right patients. With several collaborations within and beyond Singapore, our research is aligned with the NCCS’ bench to bedside and back research focus.
Selected publications (latest and most impactful from 2019 onwards)
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