Fueling Breakthroughs in Breast Cancer Metastasis and Aging at Moffitt Cancer Center.
A Message from Dr. Ana Gomes
"Thank you for your generous support of our mission to prevent breast cancer relapse. Your contributions allow us to address one of the most urgent and overlooked questions in cancer research: why metastatic relapse remains so lethal, particularly in older patients.
Our work shows that the same breast cancer behaves very differently in young versus aged bodies. In older models, standard chemotherapies are far less effective—not because they are poorly tolerated, but because cancer biology changes with age. Importantly, we have identified FDA-approved drugs that fail in younger settings yet show strong activity against metastatic disease in older models, opening new possibilities for more effective, age-appropriate treatments.
We also study breast cancer dormancy, when residual cancer cells remain silent for years before reawakening as deadly metastases. We have uncovered a molecular switch that controls this dormant state and demonstrated that factors such as diet, metabolism, and immune aging can determine whether these cells stay asleep or become aggressive.
Together, these discoveries are redefining how we approach breast cancer relapse and point toward new strategies to prevent metastasis while preserving long-term health. Thank you for helping make this progress possible."
Warm regards, Ana
Mailing Address for Checks
Please mail any cash or check donations to the Moffitt Cancer Center Foundation.
Please be sure to make checks payable to:
Moffitt Cancer Center and include
"Answer to Cancer SRQ" in the Memo line.
Moffitt Cancer Center Foundation
Attn: Community Partners/Answer to Cancer SRQ
12902 Magnolia Dr, MBC-FOU
Tampa, FL 33612-9416
Contact ANSWER TO CANCER SRQ
Eileen Cantarella
ecantarella@gmail.com
Ronni Loundy
ronnisrq@gmail.com
Cancer As We Age
Breast cancer affects women at every stage of life—and at the Gomes Lab, we’re determined to change that.
Our vision is a future where breast cancer is not only treatable but truly curable—for every woman, at every age. Over the past five years, our lab has made groundbreaking discoveries that bring us closer to ending breast cancer relapse and improving treatments for women of all ages.
Breakthroughs for Younger Women
We discovered a key molecular “switch” that controls when breast cancer cells go dormant and when they reawaken—triggering relapse years after treatment. These discoveries lay the ground for our next goal: develop therapies and that activate this circuit and maintain long-term remission.
New Hope for Older Women
Aging changes how breast cancer spreads to the lungs. We’ve identified existing FDA-approved drugs that can target these metastases effectively in older patients. Over the next one to two years, we’ll complete preclinical studies to pave the way for clinical trials designed specifically for older women—an underserved group in cancer research. We’ll also conduct larger drug screens to find additional FDA-approved therapies that were overlooked simply because earlier trials excluded older women. Many of these drugs could offer safe, effective new options that can quickly move into clinical care.
The Power of Nutrition
Emerging research shows that what cancer cells eat and how they process nutrients can strongly influence how they grow, spread, and respond to treatment. In line with this idea, we found that healthy fish oils can destroy dormant cancer cells—the ones responsible for relapse. In the next two to four years, we aim to uncover exactly how this works and collect the data needed to bring this approach into clinical use. Because fish oils are safe, affordable, and widely available, this strategy could be rapidly adopted to help patients everywhere. We are also looking into how other nutritional changes and supplements might be useful in empowering the body’s defenses against cancer and protect against the debilitating side effects of chemotherapies.
Together, our discoveries are reshaping what’s possible—moving us toward a future where breast cancer is not just survivable, but curable.
About Moffitt Cancer Center
As Florida’s first National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and one of only 30 leading cancer centers in the U.S. participating in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, Moffitt is at the very forefront of cancer centers worldwide.
Equipped with top research and care experts working side-by-side, Moffitt is uniquely positioned to revolutionize cancer treatment, elevate care and save more lives.