Laura J. van 't Veer, PhD, professor at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), will be honored with the William L. McGuire Memorial Lecture Award at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) 2024. This award acknowledges van 't Veer's significant contributions to breast oncology, particularly in advancing risk stratification and treatment strategies for early breast cancer.
Pioneering Work in Breast Cancer Risk Stratification
Van 't Veer is celebrated for her invention of MammaPrint, a diagnostic test that assesses the activity of 70 genes in breast cancer tissue to predict the likelihood of recurrence. The MINDACT trial in 2016 demonstrated that 46% of clinically high-risk breast cancer patients could safely avoid chemotherapy based on MammaPrint's low-risk assessment. This has had a significant impact on reducing unnecessary treatment and improving patient outcomes.
Contributions to the I-SPY 2 Trial
Van 't Veer played a crucial role in building the scientific platform for the nationwide I-SPY 2 trial. Her work has led to a valuable biomarker bank comprising clinically annotated tissue and blood samples from over 3,000 high-risk early breast cancer patients. This research has enabled the identification of five response-predictive subtypes based on novel gene expression signatures, which help predict which patients will benefit most from specific therapies. These findings are currently being tested in the next generation of I-SPY trials.
Impact on Personalized Medicine
"Individualizing breast cancer treatment was the passion of William McGuire, as it is mine," said van 't Veer. Her research emphasizes personalized medicine, aiming to tailor patient management based on the genetic makeup of the tumor. By identifying biomarkers that predict treatment response, van 't Veer's work helps avoid unnecessary treatments and side effects, ensuring that each patient receives the most effective therapy.
Recognition and Previous Awards
Throughout her career, van 't Veer has received numerous accolades, including the OncLive Giants of Cancer Care Award (2020), the Precision Medicine World Conference Luminary Award (2020), and the European Cancer Organisation Clinical Research Award (2017). These awards recognize her significant contributions to cancer research and personalized medicine.
Perspective from SABCS Co-director
"Dr. van 't Veer fully epitomizes the spirit and legacy of this award in honor of Dr. McGuire, starting from basic science discovery to translational and clinical research to standard of care for the benefit of patients worldwide," said SABCS Co-director Carlos Arteaga, MD, FAACR.
