Rare thoracic tumors

Rare cancers are defined by an incidence of less than 3/100 000 people per year. The scarcity of animal models or of ex vivo cellular systems and the limited number of cases are detrimental for to the study of these tumors. Through its clinical implementation, our team relies on its scientific and medical expertise to develop translational research as well as new ex vivo study tools. 

Our work aims to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the development of:

• Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma or predominantly lepidic mixed adenocarcinoma is characterized by a peculiar epidemiology and its analogies with JSRV-induced lung cancers in small ruminants. Comparative studies in humans and animals allows us to decipher deregulation associated with lepidic lesions.
• Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a progressive cystic lung disease affecting mainly women and considered as a low grade metastatic neoplasm. The disease is characterized by infiltration into the lung and lymphatic vessels of smooth muscle-like cells. S We are working on the deregulation of signaling pathways and the potential of anti-tumor drugs.
• Thymomas are rare malignant tumors of variable evolution and prognosis associating tumor epithelial cells and resident lymphocytes. Their aggressiveness is related to the frequency of tumor recurrence after surgery. We develop ex vivo study models derived from patient' tissues to study deregulation of pathways controlling cell proliferation.

Financial suppport from LYric