Research team:

Dr. Antonio Gil-Moreno (Principal researcher)

Dr. Assumpció Pérez-Benavente (Clinical associated investigator)

Dr. José Lúís Sánchez Iglesias (Clinical associated investigator)

Dra. Silvia Cabrera (Clinical associated investigator)

Dr. Vicente Bebia Conesa (Clinical associated investigator)

Dr. Natalia Rodríguez Gómez-Hidalgo (Clinical associated investigator)

Dr. Javier de la Torre Fernández de Vega (Clinical associated investigator)

Dr. José Luís Poza Barrasús (Clinical associated investigator)

Dr. Sabina Salicrú Riera (Clinical associated investigator)

Dr. Laura Mañalich Barrachina (Clinical associated investigator)

Dr. Montse Cubo Albert (Clinical associated investigator)

Dr. Cristina Centeno Mediavilla (Clinical associated investigator)

Dr. Melissa Bradbury (Clinical associated investigator)

Dr. Sonia Monreal (Clinical associated investigator)

Dr. Angel García (Clinical associated investigator)

Dr. Armando Reques (Clinical associated investigator)

Dr. Elena Suárez (Clinical associated investigator)

Dr. Mireia Armengol (Clinical associated investigator/resident)

Dra. Eva Colás (Translational associated researcher)

Dr. Melek Denizli (Technician)

Research focus. Clinical Research Lines

CLINICAL ENDOMETRIAL CANCER RESEARCH

- Prospective, randomized study: STELLA1-2 Trial: Transperitoneal vs. Extraperitoneal Approach for Laparoscopic Staging of Endometrial/Ovarian Cancer. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01810874.

- Implementation of radioguided surgery for clinically occult lesions (ROLL) in abdominal recurrences of gynecological tumors.

- MULTISENT study: Ambiespective multicenter study of sentinel node biopsy in initial endometrial cancer.

- Concordance study between morphological techniques and OSNA (one-step nucleic cid amplification) for the detection of lymph node metastases in endometrial carcinoma.

- Preoperative staging of endometrial carcinoma by ultrasound 2D and 3D.

CLINICAL OVARIAN CANCER RESEARCH

- Prospective study: Postoperatory Recovery in Advanced Ovarian Cancer, Fast-Track Protocol vs. Classical Management (PROFAST). ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02172638.

- EDMOCS study in ovarian cancer.

- SIMACEO study: Current Situation of the Management of Epithelial Cancer of the Ovary in initial stages in Spain.

CLINICAL CERVICAL CANCER RESEARCH

- Prospective study of validation of sentinel lymph node detection technique in early cervical cancer (FIGO 2018 stages IA2-IB1-IB2-IIA1).

- Collaborating center in the RACC Trial study (PI: Karolynska Hospital, Sweden): International, Prospective, Randomized comparative study of robotic versus laparotomic radical hysterectomy approach in early cervical cancer.

- Validation of robotic assisted and laparoscopic aortic extraperitoneal lymphadenectomy in recurrences of gynaecologic malignancies.

- Preoperative staging of carcinoma of the uterine cervix by ultrasound 2D and 3D.

CLINICAL RESEARCH IN BENIGN GYNECOLOGY

- Prospective study: Multicentric Comparative Randomized Study of the Single-incision Sling Ajust® Versus Suburethral Transobturator Slings. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01699425

- “A 3 Years Naturalistic Cohort Survey Of Altis® Single Incision Sling System For Female Stress Urinary Incontinence. A post-marketing and multicenter prospective observational cohort study in subjects with female stress urinary incontinence”.

- "Non-interventional study to evaluate quality of life, satisfaction with treatment, use of resources and persistence in treatment in patients with overactive bladder (OAB) who were prescribed Betmiga".

- “Comparative study of polyvinylidene fluoride and polypropylene suburethral-slings in the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence.”

- “Microarray analysis of differentially expressed genes in samples from patients with pelvic organ prolapse.”

Estudio EME: “Estudio epidemiológico sobre la miomatosis uterina en España”.

CLINICAL RESEARCH: MISCELLANEOUS

Prospective study of validation of sentinel lymph node detection technique in early vulvar cancer (early stages FIGO 2009)

- Prospective study of quality of life in patients with BRCA1-2 after risk-reducing adnexectomy.

- Prospective study of quality of life in patients with BRCA1-2 after risk-reducing mastectomy.

- Early detection of preneoplastic tubal lesions to delay ovarian cancer risk-reducing surgery in patients with BRCA1/2 mutations.

- Prospective, multicenter study for the evaluation of the intraoperative HPV test.

- INCIP Study: Cancer in pregnancy

- Randomized, open, multicentric, parallel group and control group clinical trial to evaluate the effect of PAPILOCARE® in the normalization of cytological alterations of the cervix caused by HPV (PALOMA II Clinical Trial).

- Cervical epithelium methylation as a risk marker of progression to HSIL in women with normal cytology and positive HPV.

- Conservative management of high-risk cervical intraepithelial lesions.

- Utility of DySIS® in the diagnosis and management of intraepithelial lesions of the lower genital tract.

- Breast Cancer During Pregnancy (BRCAPRE). ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02102282.

Research team:

Dr. Eva Colas (Principal researcher)

Dr. Cristian Moiola (Post-doctoral researcher)

Dr. Eva Coll (PhD student)

Dr. Carlos López (PhD student)

Dr. Carina Masferrer (PhD student)

Dr. Beatriz Villafranca (PhD student)

Dr. Melek Denizli (Technician)

Dr. Marta Rebull (Technician)

Dr. Aida Soler (Technician)

Dr. Antonio Gil-Moreno (Principal researcher)

Dra. Silvia Cabrera (Clinical associated investigator)

Dr. Angel García (Clinical associated investigator)

Dr. Armando Reques (Clinical associated investigator)

Dra. Elena Suárez (Clinical associated investigator)

Dra. Mireia Armengol (Clinical associated investigator/resident)

Research focus

IMPLEMENTATION OF MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTICS IN ENDOMETRIAL CANCER

Early detection is directly related to an increased survival for endometrial cancer patients. Diagnosis of endometrial cancer initiates with the presence of symptoms, i.e. an abnormal vaginal bleeding, and 1 of every 10 women with this symptom will have an endometrial cancer. In order to improve early detection, we aim to improve the process of diagnosis by implementing molecular markers in proximal bodily fluids. Thus, we expect to minimize invasiveness whilst increase accuracy on the newly developed methods of diagnosis. In this research line, the group has two ongoing projects:

Proteomic biomarkers for an improved diagnosis in uterine aspirates.

Exploitation of pap-smears as an untapped source of biomarkers of endometrial cancer.

PREVENTING DISTANT AND LOCAL DISSEMINATION OF ENDOMETRIAL CANCER CELLS

Once a patient is diagnosed, the presence of prognostic factors are used to classify patients according to their risk of recurrence, which directly affects their clinical management. However, up to 20% of patients diagnosed at early stages, and up to 50% of patients diagnosed in advanced stages will suffer a relapse without means of predicting it. We aim to understand the mechanisms of local and distant tumour dissemination to develop strategies that prevent tumour relapse. Moreover, we aim to design tools to better estimate the risk of recurrence of endometrial cancer patients. In this research line, the group has two ongoing projects:

Understanding the molecular mechanisms associated to local and distant dissemination via studying the MELF component and the exosomes derived from the tumor.

Deciphering biomarkers of recurrence in endometrial cancer.

DEVELOPING INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENT FOR ENDOMETRIAL CANCER PATIENTS

Nowadays, adjuvant treatment of metastatic or recurrent endometrial cancer patients is restricted to few therapeutic options, mostly based on radiotherapy and conventional chemotherapy regimens. Advances in understanding the molecular landscape of endometrial cancer have arisen the development of targeted therapies. However, responses to these targeted therapies are modest, probably due to the underestimation of the heterogeneity found in cancer, misrepresentation of low frequent subtypes of cancer, as well as the lack of clinically relevant models to perform pre-clinical studies, among other issues. The group aims to develop clinically relevant models and design experimental treatments in order to increase the response rate of patients. In this research line, the group has 2 ongoing projects:

The U-CAN platform of endometrial cancer PDX models to perform preclinical studies.

Identification of new experimental therapies.

Real-time oncology.

MOLECULAR DIAGNOSIS AND RECURRENCE PREDICTION IN ENDOMETRIOSIS

Endometriosis is an estrogen dependent disease that affects approximately 15% of women in reproductive age. Although endometriosis is considered a benign disease, characterized by the presence of uterine tissue outside the uterus, it causes strong pain and, often, infertility. So far, the gold standard method to diagnose endometriosis is laparoscopy, an invasive technique and there are no methods for early diagnose of the disease. In addition, patients undergoing surgery as a definitive treatment of endometriosis might recur without means of predicting it. In this research line, the group has 2 ongoing projects:

Assess the potential of angiogenic factors to diagnose and predict recurrence in endometriosis.

Identification of biomarkers to predict recurrence in endometrioma using a proteomic and transcriptomic approach.

Research team:

Dr. Melissa Bardbury (Principal researcher)

Dr. Antonio Gil-Moreno (Principal researcher)

Dra. Anna Santamaría (Stable collaborator)

Dr. Eva Coll (PhD student)

Dr. Carlos López (PhD student)

Dr. Melek Denizli (Technician)

Dr. José Luís Sánchez Iglesias (Clinical associated investigator)

Dr. Armando Reques (Clinical associated investigator)

Dr. Assumpció Pérez-Benavente (Clinical associated investigator)

Dr. Vicente Bebia Conesa (Clinical associated investigator)

Dr. Natalia Rodríguez Gómez-Hidalgo (Clinical associated investigator)

Dr. Javier de la Torre Fernández de Vega (Clinical associated investigator)

Research focus

PERIOPERATIVE IMMUNOMODULATION IN OVARIAN CANCER

Surgery for advanced ovarian cancer is a stressful stimulus that results in a pro-catabolic hormonal and cytokine environment, which significantly impacts metabolism. This metabolic response is accompanied by immune system impairment, increasing the risk of post-operative complications. In this research line the group is working in a multidisplinary project within the ERAS® program at the Vall d’Hebron Hospital for the: 

Identification of inflammatory markers predicting improved recovery after surgery within an ERAS® protocol.

MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTICS AND PREDICTION OF TREATMENT RESPONSE IN OVARIAN CANCER

Ovarian cancer remains the leading cause of death from gynecological malignancies due to its late diagnosis and high recurrence rates following treatment. There is a need to improve the early detection of the disease and identify predictive markers of treatment response. These diagnostic and predictive markers are being identified in proximal body fluids and patient-tissue samples. In this research line, the group has 3 ongoing projects:

Proteomic biomarkers for an improved diagnosis in uterine aspirates and pap-smears.

Proteomic biomarkers for the prediction of treatment response.

SalivOmiX: A salivary miRNA-based test for ovarian cancer early diagnosis.

Research team:

Dr. Melissa Bradbury (Principal researcher)

Dr. Cristina Centeno (Clinical associated investigator)

Dr. Antonio Gil-Moreno (Principal researcher)

Dr. Carme Dinarés (Clinical associated investigator)

Dr. Josep Castellví (Clinical associated investigator)

Dr. Armando Reques (Clinical associated investigator)

Dr. Angel Garcia (Clinical associated investigator)

Dra. Eva Colás (Translational associated researcher)

Dr. Melek Denizli (Technician)

Research focus

NEW MARKERS FOR THE DIAGNOSIS AND PROGRESSION OF INTRAEPITHELIAL NEOPLASIA OF THE LOWER GENITAL TRACT

Persistent infections with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes are necessary, but not sufficient, cause of preinvasive and invasive lesions of the cervix and the lower genital tract. Although cancer screening prevention is based on HPV screening and pap-smear tests, it is essential to identify new molecular markers that can predict the transformation of HPV-associated lesions.

In this research line our group is assessing: Identification of molecular markers associated to an increased risk of development, persistence and progression of preinvasive lesions of the lower genital tract.