Overview
Background
Sunil Lakhani is Executive Director Research and Senior Staff Specialist, Pathology Queensland, and Head of the Molecular Breast Group at the University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research (UQCCR) at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.
Prior to his move to Australia in 2004, he was Professor of Breast Pathology at The Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK
His current research interests include lobular carcinoma and its variants, normal and stem cells, tumours with a basal phenotype, familial breast cancer and biology and therapeutic development for brain and distant metastases.
He was series editor for the 4th Edition WHO Tumour Classification Books and volume editor for the 4th Ed WHO Classification of Tumours of the Breast (2012). He is currently Standing member of the Board for the 5th Ed WHO Tumour Classification Books. He is also on the editorial board of a number of pathology and experimental research journals.
Availability
- Professor Sunil Lakhani is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours), University College London
- Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery and Medical Science, University College London
- Doctoral Diploma of Medicine, University College London
- Royal College of Pathologists, Royal College of Pathologists
Research impacts
The recognition that ADH is biologically very similar to DCIS has led to a policy of excising all ADH lesions diagnosed on core biopsies at breast screening assessment
The demonstration that LCIS is a clonal neoplastic proliferation with the same molecular phenotype as invasive lobular carcinoma, and the subsequent dissemination of this knowledge through publication (Lakhani SR 2003, Lancet) and conference presentations has also changed the management of LCIS. It is accepted that it is a non-obligate precursor, rather than a hyperplastic lesion.
The recognition of the pleomorphic variant of lobular is now changing the way this proliferation is managed. Like other lobular lesions, it is multifocal/bilateral but a more aggressive variant. There is considerable ongoing discussion on the international stage regarding management and my work has played a role in this policy change.
We have also shown that columnar cell lesions, which are increasingly being diagnosed in the screening program, are clonal lesions with a progressive relationship to low grade DCIS (Simpson PT et al 2005 Am J Surg Pathol). We have shown that morphological atypia is associated with molecular profiles similar to that of DCIS and hence patients with atypical lesions on core biopsy are now subjected to further excision. It has been shown subsequently that many of these patients have worse pathology on further resection.
My expertise, in diagnostic and molecular biology of pre-invasive breast disease has also been acknowledged in being appointed Head of Breast Screen Pathology, North Brisbane as well as being a member of the Breast Screen Quality (‘Q’) group in Queensland.
My work as part of the BCLC has demonstrated that BRCA1-related breast cancers are high grade, highly proliferative tumours and occurred in young women. Hence there was an immediate impact on breast screening protocols. I was invited to many meetings to discuss the pathology in relation to the following: (i) should mammography be used in young women and how effective would it be in dense breasts? (ii) should another modality such as MRI be considered? (iii) irrespective of the modality, should the screening interval be shortened to reduce the risk that patients would present with interval cancers?
All these issues have been addressed subsequent to the publications – in particular, I was member of the steering group that published the experience of using MRI in young women at high risk of breast cancer (Leach et al 2005 MARIBS The Lancet). MRI is now used in many countries to screen high-risk women. The screening interval has been reduced to 1 year as many patients did present with interval cancers as predicted by the pathology.
In extending the original work on morphology, my group has also demonstrated that a large proportion of BRCA1associated cancers are ER negative and ‘basal-like’. This led us to propose that this phenotype could be used to improve the risk estimation and carrier probability of women seen in family cancer clinics (Lakhani et al 2005 Clin Can Res).
We have now published a number of papers supporting the use of pathology data to improve risk estimation as well as improving the likelihood of unclassified variants (UVs) being pathogenic. This work has been done with previous BCLC collaborators (Prof Doug Easton) as well as with Georgia Chenevix-Trench and Amanda Spurdle at QIMR (Chenevix-Trench et al 2006 Can Res, Lovelock et al 2007 Br Can Res, Spurdle et al 2008 JCO, Spurdle et al 2009 Hum Mut, Mavaddat et al 2010 Br Can Res) This approach is now being incorporated into the genetics clinics.
Works
Search Professor Sunil Lakhani’s works on UQ eSpace
1998
Journal Article
Immunohistochemical expression of BRCA2 protein and allelic loss at the BRCA2 locus in prostate cancer
Edwards, Stephen M., Dunsmuir, William D., Gillett, Cheryl E., Lakhani, Sunil R., Corbishley, Catherine, Young, Martin, Kirby, Roger S., Dearnaley, David P., Dowe, Anna, Ardern-Jones, Audrey, Kelly, Jo, CRC/BPG UK Fmilial Prostate Cancer Study Collaborators, Spurr, Nigel, Barnes, Diana M. and Eeles, Rosalind A. (1998). Immunohistochemical expression of BRCA2 protein and allelic loss at the BRCA2 locus in prostate cancer. International Journal of Cancer, 78 (1), 1-7. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0215(19980925)78:13.0.CO;2-U
1998
Journal Article
Multifactorial analysis of differences between sporadic breast cancers and cancers involving BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations
Lakhani, Sunil R., Jacquemier, Jocelyne, Sloane, John P, Gusterson, Barry A., Anderson, Thomas J., van de Vijver, Marc J., Farid, Linda M., Venter, Deon, Antoniou, Antonios, Storfer-Isser, Amy, Smyth, Elizabeth, Steel, C. Michael, Haites, Neva, Scott, Rodney J., Goldgar, David, Neuhausen, Susan, Daly, Peter A., Ormiston, Wilma, McManus, Ross, Scherneck, Siegfried, Ponder, Bruce A. J., Ford, Debbie, Peto, Julian, Stoppa-Lyonnet, Dominique, Bignon, Yves-Jean, Struewing, Jeffrey P., Spurr, Nigel K., Bishop, D. Timothy, Klijn, J. G. M. ... Easton, Douglas F. (1998). Multifactorial analysis of differences between sporadic breast cancers and cancers involving BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 90 (15), 1138-1145. doi: 10.1093/jnci/90.15.1138
1998
Journal Article
Can magnetic-resonance imaging help elucidate natural history of breast cancer multicentricity?
Douek, Michael, Vaidya, Jayant S., Lakhani, Sunil R., Hall-Craggs, Margaret A., Baum, Michael and Taylor, Irving (1998). Can magnetic-resonance imaging help elucidate natural history of breast cancer multicentricity?. Lancet, 351 (9105), 801-802. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(98)24011-6
1998
Book
General pathology, microbiology and immunology for health care students
Playfair, J.H.L, Lydyard, Peter and Lakhani, Sunil (1998). General pathology, microbiology and immunology for health care students. Edinburgh, United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone.
1997
Journal Article
Breast disease in HIV positive males
Keshtgar, M., Davidson, T., Soundy, V., Lakhani, S. R. and Miller, R. (1997). Breast disease in HIV positive males. The Breast, 6 (5), 281-283. doi: 10.1016/S0960-9776(97)90005-9
1997
Journal Article
Pathology of familial breast cancer: differences between breast cancers in carriers of BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations and sporadic cases
Breast Cancer Linkage Consortium*, Lakhani, Sunil R., Easton, Douglas F., Stratton, Michael R., Anderson, Thomas J., Farid, Linda M., Gusterson, B. A., Jaquemier, J., Sloane, J. P., Venter, D., VandeVijver, M. J., Bishop, D. T., Barkardottir, R. B., Bignon, Y. J., Cornelisse, C., ChangClaude, J., Daly, P. A., Devilee, P., Egilsson, V., Ford, D., Goldgar, D., Haites, N., Hamann, U., Klijn, J. G. M., Lasset, C., Lenoir, G., McManus, R., Neuhausen, S., Ormiston, W. ... Vasen, H. (1997). Pathology of familial breast cancer: differences between breast cancers in carriers of BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations and sporadic cases. Lancet, 349 (9064), 1505-1510.
1997
Conference Publication
Is there a benign to malignant progression?
Lakhani, S. R. (1997). Is there a benign to malignant progression?. 2nd International Meeting on Current Topics in Breast Cancer Research, Cambridge, England, Sep, 1996. Bristol, United Kingdom: BioScientifica.
1996
Journal Article
Terminology for carcinoma-in-situ of the breast
Quinn, Cecily, Ostrowski, Julian, Oxley, Dwight K., Sloane, J. P., Lakhani, S. R., Stratton, M. R., Baum, Michael, Simpson, Jean F., Jensen, Roy A. and Page, David L. (1996). Terminology for carcinoma-in-situ of the breast. Lancet, 347 (9010), 1259-1260. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(96)90774-6
1996
Journal Article
The cylindromatosis gene (cyld1) on chromosome 16q may be the only tumour suppressor gene involved in the development of cylindromas
Chapman, P., Lakhani, S. R. and Burn, J. (1996). The cylindromatosis gene (cyld1) on chromosome 16q may be the only tumour suppressor gene involved in the development of cylindromas. Oncogene, 12 (6), 1375-1377.
1996
Journal Article
Detection of allelic imbalance indicates that a proportion of mammary hyperplasia of usual type are clonal, neoplastic proliferations
Lakhani, S. R., Slack, D. N., Hamoudi, R. A., Collins, N., Stratton, M. R. and Sloane, J. P. (1996). Detection of allelic imbalance indicates that a proportion of mammary hyperplasia of usual type are clonal, neoplastic proliferations. Laboratory Investigation, 74 (1), 129-135.
1995
Journal Article
Loss of heterozygosity in sporadic breast tumours at the BRCA2 locus on chromosome 13q12-q13
Cleton-Jansen, A. -M., Collins, N., Lakhani, S. R., Weissenbach, J., Devilee, P., Cornelisse, C. J. and Stratton, M. R. (1995). Loss of heterozygosity in sporadic breast tumours at the BRCA2 locus on chromosome 13q12-q13. British Journal of Cancer, 72 (5), 1241-1244. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1995.493
1995
Journal Article
Atypical ductal hyperplasia of the breast: Clonal proliferation with loss of heterozygosity on chromosomes 16q and 17p
Lakhani, S. R., Collins, N., Stratton, M. R. and Sloane, J. P. (1995). Atypical ductal hyperplasia of the breast: Clonal proliferation with loss of heterozygosity on chromosomes 16q and 17p. Journal of Clinical Pathology, 48 (7), 611-615. doi: 10.1136/jcp.48.7.611
1995
Journal Article
neu Overexpression correlates with extent of disease in large cell ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast
De Potter, Christian R., Schelfhout, Anne-Marie, Verbeeck, Paul, Lakhani, Sunil R., Brunken, Roland, Van Den Tweel, Jan G., Schauer, Alfred J. and Sloane, John P. (1995). neu Overexpression correlates with extent of disease in large cell ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast. Human Pathology, 26 (6), 601-606. doi: 10.1016/0046-8177(95)90163-9
1995
Journal Article
LOSS OF HETEROZYGOSITY IN LOBULAR CARCINOMA IN-SITU OF THE BREAST
LAKHANI, , COLLINS, N, SLOANE, JP and STRATTON, MR (1995). LOSS OF HETEROZYGOSITY IN LOBULAR CARCINOMA IN-SITU OF THE BREAST. Journal of Clinical Pathology-Clinical Molecular Pathology Edition, 48 (2), M74-M78.
1995
Journal Article
Consistent loss of the wild type allele in breast cancers from a family linked to the BRCA2 gene on chromosome 13q12-13
Collins, N., McManus, R., Wooster, R., Mangion, J., Seal, S., Lakhani, S. R., Ormiston, W., Daly, P. A., Ford, D., Easton, D. F. and Stratton, M. R. (1995). Consistent loss of the wild type allele in breast cancers from a family linked to the BRCA2 gene on chromosome 13q12-13. Oncogene, 10 (8), 1673-1675.
1995
Journal Article
Loss of heterozygosity in ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast
Stratton, M. R., Collins, N., Lakhani, S. R. and Sloane, J. P. (1995). Loss of heterozygosity in ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast. Journal of Pathology, 175 (2), 195-201. doi: 10.1002/path.1711750207
1995
Journal Article
Malignant myoepithelioma (Myoepithelial carcinoma) of the breast - a detailed cytokeratin study
Lakhani, S. R., Ohare, M. J., Winehouse, J., Gazet, J. C. and Sloane, J. P. (1995). Malignant myoepithelioma (Myoepithelial carcinoma) of the breast - a detailed cytokeratin study. Journal of Clinical Pathology, 48 (2), 164-167. doi: 10.1136/jcp.48.2.164
1994
Journal Article
Intravascular malignant lymphomatosis (angiotropic large-cell lymphoma). A case report with evidence for T-cell lineage with polymerase chain reaction analysis
Lakhani, S. R. and Hall, J. M. (1994). Intravascular malignant lymphomatosis (angiotropic large-cell lymphoma). A case report with evidence for T-cell lineage with polymerase chain reaction analysis. Histopathology, 25 (3), 283-286. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2559.1994.tb01331.x
1994
Journal Article
Renal allograft dysfunction due to vesicoureteric obstruction by nodular malakoplakia
Stern, S. C. M., Lakhani, S. and Morgan, S. H. (1994). Renal allograft dysfunction due to vesicoureteric obstruction by nodular malakoplakia. Nephrology, Dialysis, Transplantation, 9 (8), 1188-1190.
1993
Journal Article
Early clinical pathologists: Robert Koch (1843-1910)
Lakhani, S. R. (1993). Early clinical pathologists: Robert Koch (1843-1910). Journal of Clinical Pathology, 46 (7), 596-598.
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Sunil Lakhani is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Master Philosophy
Application of molecular genetics in Translational Breast Cancer Research
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Amy McCart Reed, Associate Professor Peter Simpson
-
Master Philosophy
E-cadherin, ROS1 and synthetic lethality in ILC
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Amy McCart Reed
-
Master Philosophy
Applications of Molecular Genetics in Translational Breast Cancer Research
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Amy McCart Reed, Associate Professor Peter Simpson
-
Doctor Philosophy
Studies on the utility of Endobronchial Ultrasound Transbronchial Needle Aspiration (EBUS TBNA) samples in novel investigations of lung cancer genomics, and immune responses
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Peter Simpson
-
Doctor Philosophy
Studies on the utility of Endobronchial Ultrasound Transbronchial Needle Aspiration (EBUS TBNA) samples in novel investigations of lung cancer genomics, and immune
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Peter Simpson
-
Doctor Philosophy
Studies on the utility of Endobronchial Ultrasound Transbronchial Needle Aspiration (EBUS TBNA) samples in novel investigations of lung cancer genomics, and immune responses
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Peter Simpson
-
Doctor Philosophy
Circulating biomarkers in invasive lobular breast carcinoma
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Peter Simpson, Associate Professor Amy McCart Reed
-
Doctor Philosophy
Investigating therapeutic vulnerabilities in breast cancer.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Peter Simpson, Associate Professor Amy McCart Reed
Completed supervision
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Identification of new prognostic biomarker for triple negative breast cancer
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jodi Saunus, Associate Professor Peter Simpson
-
2015
Doctor Philosophy
Heregulin/HER3 signalling increases invasive behaviour of HER2-positive breast cancer cells
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jodi Saunus
-
2013
Doctor Philosophy
Clinical-Pathological and Molecular Analysis to Understand Breast Cancer Progression
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Peter Simpson
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Development of theranostic nanomedicines for breast cancer brain metastases
Joint Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jodi Saunus
-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
Detailed Characterisation of Metaplastic Breast Carcinoma
Joint Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jodi Saunus, Associate Professor Amy McCart Reed
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
Studies on the utility of Endobronchial Ultrasound Transbronchial Needle Aspiration (EBUS TBNA) samples in novel investigations of lung cancer genomics, and immune responses
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Peter Simpson
-
2024
Doctor Philosophy
Identifying and characterising targetable proteins in breast cancer brain metastasis
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Amy McCart Reed
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Investigation of epigenetic influences on DNA methylation in Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Melissa Brown, Dr Jodi Saunus
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
Genomic and transcriptomic biomarkers of prognosis in invasive lobular breast cancer.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Amy McCart Reed, Associate Professor Peter Simpson
-
2016
Doctor Philosophy
Intratumour heterogeneity in the development and progression of breast cancer
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Amy McCart Reed, Associate Professor Peter Simpson
-
2013
Doctor Philosophy
A Search For Novel Cancer Susceptibility Genes
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Melissa Brown, Associate Professor Peter Simpson
Media
Enquiries
Contact Professor Sunil Lakhani directly for media enquiries about:
- Brain metastasis
- Breast cancer
- Breast cancer - family history
- Cancer - breast
- Genetics - breast cancer
- Myoepithelial cells
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