Ben Ho Park, MD, PhD

Understanding how age-related genetic mutations in blood cells influence breast cancer growth and metastasis

Impact

Cells that give rise to blood cells, known as hematopoietic stem cells, acquire genetic mutations as people age. Most of these mutations do not cause disease, however some can cause certain stem cells to produce an abnormal amount of blood cells. This condition is called clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP). CHIP can lead to increased risk of cardiovascular disease, blood cancer and has been linked to worse outcomes in breast cancer, but the reasons remain unclear.

Progress Thus Far

Dr. Park has shown that not all CHIP mutations have the same effect. Some appear to be benign, having no associated health outcome, while others may be associated with aggressive tumors or even have a protective effect. These findings highlight how specific CHIP mutations can alter the tumor environment, potentially accelerating or slowing cancer progression. Because therapies already exist that target CHIP cells, his research may lead to new treatment approaches.

What’s next

The team will further investigate how CHIP mutations shape the immune landscape in and around breast tumors. Using advanced laboratory techniques, they aim to uncover the cellular mechanisms behind the different effects of mutations. Additional studies will clarify the role of these mutations, including experiments that test whether protective mutations can counteract behavior from mutations associated with accelerating cancer progression.