Portuguese Research Initiative BRIDGE Targets Glycan Biomarkers to Combat Highly Aggressive Breast Cancer Subtypes

Portuguese researchers launch BRIDGE to identify biomarkers in aggressive breast cancer, aiming to improve immune system detection and personalized treatment.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 11, 2026, 6:13 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from EurekAlert!

A Collaborative Frontier Against Evasive Oncology

The launch of the BRIDGE project marks a significant shift in the approach toward managing aggressive breast cancer, a disease that claimed approximately 670,000 lives globally in 2022. By combining the expertise of the Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier and the Portuguese Institute of Oncology, the initiative seeks to address the critical lack of reliable predictors for cancer progression. This partnership aims to bridge the gap between laboratory discovery and clinical application, focusing specifically on the subtypes of cancer that currently lack effective monitoring tools.

Mapping the Invisible Terrain of the Tumor Microenvironment

At the heart of this research is an investigation into the complex interactions occurring within the tumor microenvironment. Scientists are particularly focused on small molecules located on cell surfaces, which appear to play a decisive role in how a tumor manages to deactivate a patient's natural immune response. According to Catarina Brito, the leader of the Advanced Cell Models laboratory at ITQB NOVA, previous research has already highlighted how tumors communicate with immune cells to create a protective shield. The current mission involves validating these earlier findings using a repository of real patient samples provided by the Portuguese Institute of Oncology.

The Hunt for Predictive Biological Signatures

The search for new biomarkers serves as the primary technical objective of the BRIDGE team, as these measurable biological signals are essential for tracking the evolution of the disease in real time. By identifying these signatures in blood or tissue samples, clinicians may eventually be able to move away from one size fits all approaches in favor of protocols tailored to the specific biological profile of the individual. This transition toward precision medicine is expected to offer a more nuanced understanding of how aggressive cancers adapt and survive during the course of treatment.