Open Menu
Meetings & Education
Meetings & Education
Research & Data
Practice & Patients
Career Development
News & Initiatives
Get Involved
HERA-TEST: A novel precision oncology tool using breast milk for early detection of postpartum breast cancer.
Background:
The incidence of breast cancer (BC) in women under the age of 45 has risen in recent decades, partly due to delayed childbearing. More specifically, postpartum breast cancer (PPBC), defined as BC diagnosed within 10 years of childbirth, accounts for 5 to 7% of these cases and it is recognized as a distinct clinical and molecular entity. PPBC is associated with increased aggressiveness, a higher risk of metastasis, and worse survival outcomes. Previous research has identified observed distinct signature gene expression associated with DNA repair and cell proliferation pathways, as well as T-cell immunity. However, the key molecular drivers of PPBC remain unclear. Currently, invasive procedures such as breast biopsy or ductal lavage are the primary methods to access tumour biomarkers. In this regard, breast milk represents a promising, unique and accessible source of biomarkers —including exfoliated epithelial cells and miRNAs— that directly reflects the breast microenvironment and could provide valuable insights into early molecular changes associated with cancer development. Ultimately, it holds significant potential for identify biomarkers in breast milk for early identification of women at high risk of developing PPBC.
Methods:
This study aims to recruit 2,000 lactating women, requiring a large-scale awareness campaign and collaboration with eight Andalusian hospitals to facilitate donor recruitment and sample collection. To date, breast milk samples (10–30 mL from each breast) have been collected from 3,000 women, exceeding initial recruitment goals. Samples are preserved in two formats: whole milk stored at -80°C and fractionated components (cells, serum, and lipids). This initiative has led to the establishment of the world’s largest breast milk biobank. Simultaneously, dried breast milk samples are being collected parallel to the fresh milk. Additionally, comprehensive clinical, gynaecological and lactation-related data are collected via participant questionnaire, including family history of BC, breastfeeding duration, number of births, weaning patterns, prior breast conditions, and medication history. A multi-omics analysis—including genomic, epigenomic, proteomic, and viromic profiling—will be conducted to identify molecular differences between women who develop PPBC and those who do not. Integrating these findings with clinical and epidemiological data to enhance the understanding of PPBC pathogenesis and improve early detection strategies. Upon identification of robust predictive biomarkers, efforts will focus on adapting the test for use with dried milk samples, facilitating large-scale implementation. This approach aims to address critical gaps in current screening methods for young women, with the ultimate goals of enhancing clinical outcomes, reducing healthcare costs, and advancing precision medicine.
Disclaimer
This material on this page is ©2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology, all rights reserved. Licensing available upon request. For more information, please contact licensing@asco.org
Author Details
Alejandra DĂaz
Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Cordoba (IMIBIC)-Hospital Universitario Reina Sofia, Universidad de Cordoba, Córdoba, Spain
Authors chevron_right
Associated Organizations chevron_right
Abstract Details
Meeting
2025 ASCO Annual Meeting
Session Type
Poster Session
Session Title
Prevention, Risk Reduction, and Genetics
Track
Prevention, Risk Reduction, and Genetics
View MoreAbstract Disclosure
open_in_new
Similar Abstracts
text_snippet
Abstract
2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
First Author: Tarek Mohamed Ahmed Abdel-Fatah
text_snippet
Abstract
2022 ASCO Quality Care Symposium
Academic and community physician perspectives on breast cancer biomarker use in clinical trials.
First Author: Halle H. Thannickal
text_snippet
Abstract
2022 ASCO Annual Meeting
Biomarker evolution after neoadjuvant systemic therapy in breast cancer.
First Author: Dan Ran Castillo
text_snippet
Abstract
2024 ASCO Annual Meeting
First Author: Jennifer M Yeh
Your Privacy
ASCO is committed to transparency regarding our websites and the ways we process data. When you visit our site, we may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. This information might be about you, your preferences, your location, or your device and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to personalize your web experience with us.
Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some or all types of cookies. Click on the different category headings to find out more about the types of cookies used on our websites and change your default settings to match your preferences. Please read these carefully. Blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on the site, including our ability to personalize the content you receive from us.
For a full explanation of the personal and non-personal information we collect on our site, including how we use that information and your rights regarding that information, please review our Privacy Policy. Use of our website is also subject to our Terms of Use.
Allow All
Manage Consent Preferences
Essential Website Cookies
Always Active
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and are sometimes referred to as “strictly necessary” cookies. They make sure the website delivers you information and services in an optimal way.
They are often set in response to an action you take, such as changing your cookie preferences, setting your privacy preferences, logging in to our website, asking the site to remember you on subsequent pages, or filling in forms. These cookies do not identify you personally.
You can set your browser to block or alert you about all cookies, including essential website cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as a result.
Cookies Details‎
Performance and Functionality Cookies
Performance and Functionality Cookies
These cookies enhance the performance and functionality of our websites and the services we provide. For example, these cookies can keep track of your visitor session in between visits, enable you to share content through social media, use embedded media players, and use comment features. They also help us balance website load and improve site speed and performance.
All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. These cookies may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our websites. These cookies are non-essential, but without these cookies, certain functionality or enhanced features may become unavailable.
Cookies Details‎
Personalization and Analytics Cookies
Personalization and Analytics Cookies
These cookies collect information that is used to help us understand how our websites and content are used, help us customize our websites and application for you in order to enhance your experience, and help us improve the content that ASCO creates to better meet our members’ and visitors’ needs. Examples include cookies that show us which content might be most popular with our visitors, understand browsing history of our users, understand the effectiveness of our own advertising, and enable us to recommend content to individual users based on their profile and activities on the website.
These cookies may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our websites.
These cookies are non-essential to the functionality of the site and may contain information that enables us or our third party providers to identify you and build a profile of your interests. Without these cookies, you will not be able to have a customized or personalized experience within our website.
Cookies Details‎
Advertising Cookies and Social Media Cookies
Advertising Cookies and Social Media Cookies
Advertising (or Targeting) cookies are third party cookies that may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant ads on other sites.
Social Media Cookies are cookies set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your activities across other sites and building a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit.
These cookies and the data collected by the third parties may be combined with data from other users or data about your activity on other sites. While the data collected on our site is aggregate or non-personal, the data may be used by such third parties to link you on other platforms or otherwise identify you.
If you do not allow these cookies, you may experience less targeted advertising.
Cookies Details‎
Back Button
Cookie List
Search Icon
Filter Icon
Clear
checkbox labellabel
ApplyCancel
ConsentLeg.Interest
checkbox labellabel
checkbox labellabel
checkbox labellabel
View Cookies
Name
cookie name
Save Settings
Download
iframeBrand%3B24.0.0.0&uamb=0&uam=&uap=Linux%20x86_64&uapv=6.6.72&uaw=0&fledge=1&data=event%3Dgtag.config)