Harnessing Protons to Treat Cancer

Radiation therapy techniques have been used for more than a century to treat cancers. Physicists in the Radiation Detector and Imaging group and associated with the Biomedical Research & Innovation Center (BRIC) at Jefferson Lab are launching a study into how best to advance safer types of radiation therapy. BRIC scientists plan to evaluate the ability of accelerator-based proton therapy to replace radioactive isotope-derived treatments.

Existing standard chemoradiation superior to deintensification approaches for HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer

Researchers looking to de-intensify radiation treatments for people with early-stage, HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer to prevent long-term side effects halted a large, randomized phase II/III trial after patients in the control arm reached a record high, two-year progression-free survival rate of 98%.

Moffitt Researchers Reveal Key LAG3 Mechanisms That Could Transform Cancer Immunotherapy

Immune checkpoint inhibitors are a type of cancer treatment that helps the immune system attack cancer cells more effectively. One of the key proteins involved in this process is Lymphocyte Activation Gene-3 (LAG3), which suppresses the antitumor immune response.

Leading Computational Scientist and Oncology Researcher Elana Fertig, PhD, Appointed as New Director of the Institute for Genome Sciences at the University of Maryland School of Medicine

University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, announced today the appointment of Elana J. Fertig, PhD, FAIMBE, as the new Director of the School’s Institute for Genome Sciences (IGS).

Chulalongkorn Organized “Cutting-edge Nanotechnologies for Good Health and Well-being” International Conference for Alternative Cancer Treatment

Chulalongkorn University organized an international academic conference titled “Cutting-edge Nanotechnologies for Good Health and Well-being” to present nanotechnology innovations as new alternatives for cancer treatment.

Targeting cancer with precision: neoantigen vaccines show promise

In an elegant fusion of science and medicine, neoantigen cancer vaccines are emerging as a formidable strategy in the battle against cancer. These vaccines, a testament to the power of personalized medicine, target cancer’s unique protein signatures, rallying the immune system for a precise and potent attack.

MD Anderson and collaborators to launch project studying T cells on International Space Station

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and collaborators are initiating a research project that will send T cells to the International Space Station (ISS) to study the effects of prolonged microgravity on cell differentiation, activation, memory and exhaustion.

FAU Researcher Receives Grant to Personalize Radiation Therapy for Cancer

While chemotherapy has advanced in personalization, personalized radiation therapy for cancer remains underdeveloped. A new project will use AI, in particular, deep reinforcement learning, to analyze multimodal data, and enhance cancer characterization and treatment to ultimately improve patient outcomes. Using personal health data, genetic information about the tumor, and patient treatment and follow-up data, digital twins will simulate diagnoses and treatment options to help physicians choose the most effective treatments and monitor responses over time.

New Survey from NCCN Finds Cancer Drug Shortage Management Remains a Moving Target, Impacting Clinical Trials

NCCN shares new data on continued high prevalence for cancer drug shortages in the United States. In the latest survey, carboplatin and cisplatin shortages fell to 11% and 7% respectively, but 89% of centers surveyed continue to report shortages for at least one type of systemic therapy; 75% are experiencing two or more drug shortages.

NCCN Updates Treatment Recommendations for Breast, Colorectal, Lung, and other Cancer Types Based on Emerging Evidence

Recent NCCN Guidelines updates—along with the supporting evidence—will be presented during the NCCN 2024 Annual Conference held in Orlando, Florida April 5-7, and simultaneously online. Visit NCCN.org/conference to learn more and register.

LJI welcomes new faculty member Miguel Reina-Campos, Ph.D.

Cancer researcher Miguel Reina-Campos, Ph.D., has joined the faculty of La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) as an Assistant Professor to lead the Laboratory of Tissue Immune Networks. His laboratory at LJI aims to investigate the basis of CD8+ T cell tissue immunity to improve life-saving cancer immunotherapies.

Researchers Discover Why One Type of Chemotherapy Works Best in Bladder Cancer

Tisch Cancer Institute researchers discovered that a certain type of chemotherapy improves the immune system’s ability to fight off bladder cancer, particularly when combined with immunotherapy, according to a study published in Cell Reports Medicine in January.

New Research Shows Patients Receiving Cancer Treatment Understand Health Insurance Basics; Important Knowledge Gaps Remain

A new study by researchers at the American Cancer Society showed among patients receiving outpatient cancer treatment in two sites, most people could understand basic health insurance terms, such as premiums and deductibles.

Thailand Hub of Talent for Cancer Immunotherapy International Conference

The Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, cordially invites all to attend the “Thailand Hub of Talent for Cancer Immunotherapy International Conference: Portal to Global Collaboration for Next Generation Cell and Gene Therapy Development” on November 16-17, 2023 at Bhumisiri Mangklanusorn Building, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Transforming Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment with Cerium/Lanthanum-134

Actinium-targeted alpha radiotherapy is a promising approach for treating metastatic cancers, including prostate cancer. However, therapeutic substances labeled with actinium-225 have limits on how they can be imaged, a step that allows doctors to plan treatments. This study examined the performance of cerium/lanthanum-134 as a surrogate imaging material for Ac-225.

Study finds improved survival for incurable brain tumor, providing ‘a crack in the armor’

For the first time, researchers have found a potential drug candidate that improved outcomes for patients with a type of childhood brain tumor for which there are no effective treatments. The compound, called ONC201, nearly doubled survival for patients with diffuse midline glioma (DMG) or diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), compared to previous patients.

Killing Cancer in a Flash

FLASH is a targeted radiation therapy that kills tumor cells while sparing healthy tissue and delivers a short, intense burst of radiation in a single appointment. Corie Ralston from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory will present her team’s research using X-ray footprinting mass spectrometry to investigate the mechanisms that make FLASH a powerful cancer killer at ACA’s 73rd annual meeting, July 7-11.

Pharmacologist: Cancer drug shortage is delaying lifesaving treatments

This year, an estimated 2 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer. Now, a New York Institute of Technology pharmacology expert contends that these patients’ realities could grow increasingly harsher, as a monthslong shortage of chemotherapy drugs continues. Low supplies of…

NCCN Releases Statement Addressing Ongoing Chemotherapy Shortages; Shares Survey Results Finding More than 90% of Cancer Centers are Impacted

National Comprehensive Cancer Network’s Department of Policy and Advocacy calls on Federal Government, pharmaceutical industry, providers, and payers to work together on solutions, as 93% of cancer centers surveyed report a shortage of carboplatin and 70% report shortages for cisplatin; two medications that are used in combination to cure many types of cancer.

Tunable Bonds: A Step Towards Targeted At-211 Cancer Therapy

The astatine isotope astatine-211 (At-211) shows promise as a cancer therapy, but scientists know little about how it interacts with chemicals. Researchers have now discovered a new tunable bonding interaction between At-211 and a class of chemicals known as ketones. This discovery has the potential to improve cancer therapy drugs by linking At-211 to cancer targeting molecules.

Virginia Tech researchers join together on cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment

May is a month to recognize the importance of cancer research, with both Brain Tumor Awareness Month and National Cancer Research Month taking center stage. Virginia Tech’s Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC is dedicated to advancing our understanding of cancer and developing new ways to treat and prevent it. Teams of investigators are working to uncover the molecular mechanisms that drive cancer growth, migration, and metastasis.

Researchers Leverage Cell Self-Destruction to Treat Brain Tumors

Dominique Higgins, MD, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Neurosurgery, and a team of researchers at Columbia University have found that glioblastoma tumor cells are particularly sensitive to ferroptosis – a type of cell death that can be triggered by removing certain amino acids from the diet.

New drug delivery method harnesses clotting to target anti-cancer drugs at tumors

University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers have developed a new method for targeting tumors with cancer drugs by exploiting the clotting propensity of blood platelets.The new approach, first described March 29 in the journal Science Advances, adds to a growing set of innovative drug delivery techniques under development in the lab of Quanyin Hu, a professor in the UW–Madison School of Pharmacy.

National Comprehensive Cancer Network Updates Annual Conference with New In-Person Venue, Hybrid Format, Expert-Led Sessions, Highlighted Research Perspectives, and Small-Group Conversations

NCCN 2023 Annual Conference featuring more than a thousand worldwide oncology professionals will present new research findings, latest NCCN Guidelines updates, and best practices for achieving quality cancer care delivery, in Orlando and online March 31—April 2, 2023. Visit NCCN.org/conference for more.

Study finds large gap in breast cancer treatment recommendations for patients aged 70 vs 69

Age-based heuristics can lead to large differences in breast cancer treatment based on small differences in chronologic age, according to a new analysis of more than 500,000 patient records. Patients aged 70 were nearly twice as likely to be passed over for standard-of-care radiation as those aged 69. There were no similar gaps between other age pairs. The study is among the first to demonstrate an age cutoff heuristic in oncology.

Triple-drug therapy for post-transplant management of multiple myeloma

Promising results from an ongoing clinical trial a three-drug treatment may improve survival in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who have undergone preliminary treatment followed by a stem cell transplant.

Researchers ID Protein That May Protect the Heart During Certain Cancer Treatment Regimens

Researchers identified a protein linked with the onset of anthracycline-associated cardiac toxicity. In two studies conducted in women undergoing treatment for breast cancer, levels of a protein known as hemopexin circulating in the blood were associated with increased cardiac toxicity.