Titles and Affiliations
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation
Research Area
Improving treatment options for patients with triple-negative breast cancer
Impact
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the most aggressive breast cancer subtypes. While researchers are making important strides in developing new treatments, it remains difficult to predict which patients will benefit most. Even when found early, TNBC often returns after treatment, and doctors still lack reliable tools to identify who is at the greatest risk of relapse. For her Conquer Cancer research supported by BCRF, Dr. Quiroga aims to fill that gap by studying how immune cells in breast fat interact with tumors and influence response to therapy. In addition, she aims to understand the role obesity and fat play in TNBC outcomes.
Progress Thus Far
Dr. Quiroga’s study is on schedule. She and her team have finalized an approved study protocol and trained their breast surgeons to collect breast fat samples during surgery. As of June 2026, 15 of the planned 40 patients have been enrolled and had their samples collected, with the team expecting enrollment to be completed by July 2027.
What’s Next
Dr. Quiroga will analyze breast fat collected during surgery to measure the type and activity of immune cells present. These findings will be compared with how well each patient’s tumor responded to pre-surgical chemotherapy and immunotherapy. They will also examine whether patients with obesity have distinct fat-immune profiles compared to patients who do not have obesity. Ultimately, this research may lead to new biomarkers that guide treatment decisions and improve outcomes for people with TNBC. By uncovering which patients are most likely to need more treatment—and which could safely avoid it—she and her team may reduce both cancer recurrence and the burden of unnecessary side effects.
Biography
Dionisia Quiroga, DO, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Breast Medical Oncologist at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center. She completed her Ph.D in Cell and Molecular Biology and medical school training at Michigan State University followed by an internal medicine residency and medical oncology fellowship at The Ohio State University. Prior to her current faculty appointment, Dr. Quiroga was also an NIH T32 post-doctoral researcher and breast medical oncology fellow at OSU. Her laboratory and clinical research focus on how tumor immunology, obesity, and issues of survivorship affect breast cancer outcomes. Dr. Quiroga has received several grants for her research sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Robert A. Winn Excellence in Clinical Trials program, and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Her work is widely published in many peer-reviewed journals including JAMA Oncology and JCI Insight. She serves in several local and national leadership roles, including being currently a member of the ASCO Trainee and Early Career Advisory Group, ASCO-SEP Item Writing Task Force, and the ASCO TAPUR Study Molecular Tumor Board. As an oncologist and researcher, she is passionate about discovering new therapeutic strategies and reducing the symptom burden experienced by people diagnosed with breast cancer.
