Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women, with European countries having some of the highest age-standardized incident rates of early-onset (< age 50) breast cancer in the world. Yet, our understanding of the genetic and environmental factors triggering the pathophysiology of the disease in young women is still limited. Advancing breast cancer prevention and treatment demands a holistic approach towards an accurate and early tumour detection – strongly linked with better clinical outcomes.

HER-CARE aims to revolutionize the approach to hereditary and early-onset breast cancer through an innovative, interdisciplinary research and training program. The project will address critical gaps in early detection, risk stratification, and clinical management by developing tools that integrate genetic, molecular, and imaging data with state-of-the-art technologies, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, and advanced statistical modelling.

These efforts will uncover:

i) new molecular mechanisms and biological targets that can be targeted in hereditary and early-onset breast cancer;

ii) better multifactorial risk profiles to enhance prediction accuracy;

iii) new minimally invasive tools and assays to early detect and intercept breast cancer. The resulting tools and methodologies will: enhanced early detection with accessible, personalized treatment and preventative strategies tailored to young women; ii) improve genetic counselling and clinical management;

iii) improve treatment guidelines/ cancer prevention programs; Reduce the high rate of misdiagnoses and overtreatment.

HER-CARE will train the next generation of researchers by equipping 15 Doctoral Candidates with multidisciplinary skills spanning genetics, bioinformatics, molecular biology, cancer epidemiology, biostatistics, and computational science to transform the management of hereditary and early-onset breast cancer.

This project has received funding from the Digital Europe Programme under grant agreement No 101227105.