Descripción del proyecto
Desarrollo de normas asistenciales para el tratamiento antineoplásico durante el embarazo
Los casos cada vez más frecuentes de cáncer durante el embarazo plantean un amplio abanico de decisiones médicas y éticas difíciles y discordantes. El equipo del proyecto CRADLE, financiado por el Consejo Europeo de Investigación, tiene por objeto elaborar nuevas normas asistenciales para los casos de cáncer durante el embarazo. Para ello, se examinarán los retos que se plantean a todos los niveles, incluidos el feto, la madre y la barrera fetomaterna. Para este proyecto es fundamental la información disponible en un registro internacional de mujeres embarazadas con cáncer, un registro de sus hijos y biobancos de muestras maternas, placentarias, de sangre del cordón umbilical y de tumores. La investigación incluye estudios clínicos y de laboratorio a gran escala como, por ejemplo, investigaciones farmacológicas y análisis de secuenciación del ARN. Los resultados logrados contribuirán sobremanera al bienestar de la madre y el feto en los casos de cáncer durante un embarazo.
Objetivo
The evolution in drug regulation of the last 50 years has left pregnant women and their fetuses orphaned. This is particularly problematic for cancer during pregnancy, which raises a difficult and conflicting medical ethical decision process and which has recently become increasingly frequent. In 2012 we published the first prospective study indicating that antenatal exposure to cancer treatment can overall be considered safe. Building on this proof of concept, the current proposal wants to take a groundbreaking step towards developing a standard of care for cancer during pregnancy by addressing –in an integrated fashion- the challenges at the level of the fetus, the mother and the fetomaternal barrier. At the core of this proposal lies an international registry of pregnant women with cancer, along with a registry of their children, and biobanks of maternal, placental, cord blood and tumoral tissues. Research track ‘child’ aims to deliver robust evidence of fetal safety. Research track ‘mother’ aims to address the emerging concerns in the oncological management of the mother, and specifically, the possible distinct biology of pregnancy-associated breast cancer, the most frequent cancer type in pregnancy. The research approach includes large-scale clinical follow-up studies along with laboratory studies on patient biomaterials, including pharmacological investigations and RNA-sequencing studies. Complementary to these studies is research track ‘placenta’ in which cutting-edge models of human placental research are used to address the poorly understood physiological basis of the placental barrier function in this specific situation. This ambitious program will rely on a multidisciplinary team of experts. Not only may the scientific deliverables of this proposal constitute a major step forward to the well-being of both mother and fetus in a pregnancy complicated by cancer, the methodological approach may also provide critical impetus to further research in this field.
Ámbito científico
Programa(s)
Régimen de financiación
ERC-COG - Consolidator GrantInstitución de acogida
3000 Leuven
Bélgica