Recent studies have documented a frequent association between the onset and aggressiveness of hormone-sensitive cancers, such as breast and thyroid cancer and environmental contaminants. This is the starting point for Asteroid, a new project funded by the Italian Ministry of Universities and Research (MUR) under the Prin 2020 call for proposals and evaluated as the best project (first place in ERC LS3).

The study is being carried out by a team of researchers from different universities with complementary and interdisciplinary skills.

Corresponding author is Michele Milella, head of the Medical Oncology Section of the Department of Medicine of the University of Verona, who will provide his expertise in clinical and translational studies in breast cancer, in collaboration with the Fondazione Policlinico Gemelli.

The University of Siena with Maria Grazia Castagna of the Department of Medical, Surgical and Neuroscience Sciences will contribute to the clinical study of thyroid carcinomas.

The University of Rome Tor Vergata with Roberto Bei of the Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine will develop and characterise preclinical models of the two tumours to analyse the effects of environmental contaminants and their molecular targets to define new therapeutic strategies.

Silvia Migliaccio from the Department of Human Movement and Health Sciences at the University of Rome Foro Italico will discuss the impact of the environment and lifestyles, with particular regard to nutritional aspects and sport.

Sapienza University of Rome with Elisabetta Ferretti from the Department of Experimental Medicine - a department that received another 6 grants under the same call - will coordinate the analysis of new circulating biomarkers and the molecular and cellular characterisation using 'omics' technologies, both of preclinical models and clinical samples.

The study entitled "Gene/environment interactions in breast and thyroid cancers: defining the biological role of and actioning endocrine disruptors and lifestyle to develop rational therapeutic/preventive interventions (Asteroid)" will investigate the complex interaction between genes and environment in these two tumours. In particular, the role of environmental pollutants and lifestyle in both tumour initiation and modulation of tumour aggressiveness will be assessed. The research will start with a retrospective and prospective analysis in patients affected by these tumours in which the correlations between the genetic aspects of each tumour and the patients' lifestyle will be highlighted. In addition, the molecular mechanisms of action of environmental pollutants in preclinical models of different tumour types will be defined. Based on the results obtained, the biological changes induced by a structured lifestyle intervention focusing on nutritional counselling and adapted exercise for patients with these tumours will be tested.

The project will provide several innovations, linking exposure to environmental pollutants to biomarkers, new molecular targets and lifestyles in two high-incidence diseases (breast and thyroid cancer). The study results could be used in diagnostics, therapeutic, preventive and economic applications with repercussions on the National Health Service.

"The project is of great scientific and clinical/application interest and will make it possible to define new strategies for "precision" oncological intervention in breast and thyroid tumours," says Professor Milella. "The project proposal is the result of an existing collaboration between researchers from various universities and takes advantage of the creation of a multidisciplinary research team at the University of Verona, which is part of the Departments of Medicine and Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement (Team Force: Focus on research and care) dedicated to studying the impact of nutrition, psychological wellbeing and physical exercise in oncological pathologies.The funding received from MUR will support this important research, carried out in collaboration with the Breast Unit and the Endocrine Surgery Unit of the Azienda ospedaliera universitaria integrata (Aoui) of Verona, helping to provide a solid rational basis for treatment and prevention in these tumours".

"Today," Ferretti adds, "in the era of precision medicine, we are called upon to develop personalised treatments in oncological diseases with diverse groups of patients.

In this context, my laboratory has studied the use of circulating non-coding RNAs, in particular microRNAs, as non-invasive biomarkers in different types of tumours.

The translational implication of the project successful completion lies in the identification of new pathogenic, diagnostic and therapeutic targets as well as new biomarkers, such as microRNAs, derived from liquid biopsy, which represent a fundamental tool for patient stratification and thus form the basis for a personalised therapeutic approach".

References:

https://www.mur.gov.it/it/atti-e-normativa/decreto-direttoriale-n-2292-del-01-10-2021

Further Information 

Elisabetta Ferretti
Department of Experimental Medicine
elisabetta.ferretti@uniroma1.it