Title : Currant (BSO) Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship, (IVO) Valencian Institute of Oncology and medico cancer center
Abstract:
Breast cancer is widely recognized as a biologically complex disease, in large part because of its continuous and dynamic interactions with the surrounding tumor microenvironment. Among the stromal elements, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are of particular interest due to their ability to home to tumor sites and engage in sustained bidirectional communication with cancer cells. Increasing evidence indicates that exosomes released by MSCs function as important carriers of intercellular messages, shaping inflammatory responses, proliferation patterns, phenotypic plasticity, and ultimately tumor progression. Yet, the extent to which breast cancer cells can modify MSC behavior and reshape the molecular cargo of their exosomes and how these altered exosomes, in turn, influence the biology of breast cancer cells remains only partially understood. This study seeks to explore the functional impact of exosomes derived from breast cancer-educated MSCs and to compare their effects with those of exosomes produced by naïve MSCs. The work is carried out entirely in vitro and incorporates cell-based models, conceptual exosome characterization, proliferation assessments, cytokine profiling through ELISA, and flow-cytometric analysis of phenotypic markers in cancer cells treated with each exosome type. It is anticipated that exosomes conditioned by tumor-derived signals will display distinct molecular patterns, modulate inflammatory mediator release, influence proliferation behavior, and affect markers associated with stemness, immune modulation, or cell survival. By clarifying these interactions, the study aims to broaden current understanding of tumor-stroma communication, highlight potential exosome-based biomarkers, and lay the groundwork for future therapeutic strategies. Such insights may ultimately contribute to the development of more precise and personalized approaches to breast cancer treatment.
