Harrisburg University Research Roundup: July 2024

Harrisburg, PA – Welcome to your July 2024 Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (HU) Research Roundup! Our talented students and faculty members are busy presenting at conferences, publishing boundary-pushing research, and building fruitful partnerships with schools, agencies, and organizations.…

Anti-inflammatory drug celecoxib could reduce risk of colon cancer recurrence for a subset of patients

An analysis of data from a randomized clinical trial for patients with stage 3 colon cancer found that those with PIK3CA mutations who took celecoxib, an anti-inflammatory drug, after surgery lived significantly longer and had longer disease-free survival compared to those without the mutation.

AACR: MD Anderson’s Scott Kopetz and Elizabeth Travis honored with 2024 Scientific Achievement Awards

Two researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center will be honored with Scientific Achievement Awards at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2024 for accomplishments in clinical and translational research as well as outstanding leadership in oncology.

Tip Sheet: Weight loss drugs and cancer prevention, Fred Hutch at AACR, lymphedema Q&A — and new vice president and chief nursing officer

SEATTLE — April 3, 2024 — Below are summaries of recent Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center research findings, patient stories and other news. If you’re covering the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, please see our list of and contact to set up interviews.

Musicians Colbie Caillat, Lisa Loeb, Rufus Wainwright, Hilary Hahn, and More Support Colorectal Cancer Awareness in Free Webcast Concert

The American College of Gastroenterology Free Virtual Event on March 28, 2024, at 8:00 pm ET, “Tune It Up: A Concert To Raise Colorectal Cancer Awareness”

Baylor Scott & White doctor discusses why cancer is impacting more young people

David Winter, MD, at Baylor Scott & White Health, discusses why cancer is impacting more young people. What You Need to Know: People aged 50 and older are living longer because of better cancer detection and treatments. Cancer diagnosis in…

Transcription Factor Plays Pivotal Role in Right-Sided Colon Cancers

The colon is often thought of as one organ, but the right and left parts of the colon have different molecular features in cancers. New research in mice from investigators at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center demonstrates that these regions also have distinct transcriptional programs, or cellular processes, that regulate the development of normal and cancerous cells.

Colorectal Cancer Patients in Sub-Saharan Africa Receiving Inadequate Care; Survival After Diagnosis Poor, New Study Shows

In new findings led by researchers at the American Cancer Society, Martin-Luther University in Germany, and many other institutes worldwide, fewer than one in 20 patients diagnosed with potentially curable colorectal cancer received standard of care in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Baylor Scott & White Health Again the Most-Awarded Health System in Texas for Clinical Care and Patient Experience

Baylor Scott & White Health once again leads the state of Texas in the number of accolades earned in U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-24 Best Hospitals, released today. A total of 26 Baylor Scott & White hospitals were recognized, including four facilities with a nationally ranked specialty – more than any other health system in Texas.

Baylor Scott & White Health Again the Most-Awarded Not-for-Profit Health System in Texas for Clinical Care and Patient Experience

Baylor Scott & White Health once again leads the state of Texas in the number of accolades earned in U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-24 Best Hospitals, released today. A total of 26 Baylor Scott & White hospitals were recognized, including four facilities with a nationally ranked specialty – more than any other health system in Texas.

AI Tool Predicts Colon Cancer Survival, Treatment Response

New AI tool accurately predicts both overall survival and disease-free survival after colorectal cancer diagnosis.
The model uses visual markers on pathology images to glean insights into a tumor’s genomic profile and predicts tumor behavior, disease progression, treatment response.
The new model could help augment clinical decision-making.
Because the AI tool relies on images alone, it could be particularly valuable for hospitals lacking the technology or expertise to perform sophisticated genomic profiling of tumor tissues.

Surgery First for Colon Cancer? Not So Fast, According to New Study in JNCCN

New research in JNCCN finds that immunotherapy from immune checkpoint (PD-1) inhibitors prior to surgery was strikingly effective for patients with localized mismatch repair-deficient or microsatellite instability-high (dMMR/MSI-H) colorectal cancer (CRC).

Pairing imaging, AI may improve colon cancer screening, diagnosis

A research team from the lab of Quing Zhu, the Edwin H. Murty Professor of Engineering  in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, has combined optical coherence tomography (OCT) and machine learning to develop a colorectal cancer imaging tool that may one day improve the traditional endoscopy currently used by doctors.

Eligible younger U.S. adults less likely to meet recommended colorectal cancer screening guidelines and face greater disparities

Younger adults living in the U.S. are less likely to be screened for colorectal cancer than older U.S. adults, despite now being eligible under new screening guidelines, and face greater disparities than older U.S. adults who are eligible for screening, according to research from UTHealth Houston.

Plant virus plus immune cell-activating antibody clear colon cancer in mice, prevent recurrence

A new combination therapy to combat cancer could one day consist of a plant virus and an antibody that activates the immune system’s “natural killer” cells, shows a study by researchers at the University of California San Diego. In mouse models of colon cancer, the combination therapy eliminated all tumors and prevented their recurrence, which in turn resulted in 100% survival. The therapy also increased survival in mouse models of melanoma.

DNA Shed From Colon Cancers Into Bloodstream Successfully Guides Chemotherapy After Surgery

A multi-institutional, international study, led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and WEHI in Melbourne, Australia, found that testing for ctDNA after surgery and directing chemotherapy to ctDNA-positive patients reduced the use of chemotherapy overall without compromising recurrence-free survival.

DeepGI AI – A Thai Innovation for the Precision in Colorectal Polyp Detection

Chula Engineering and Chula Medicine co-invent an innovative device for a rapid gastrointestinal cancer detection that yields accurate results hoping to foster preventive medicine in gastrointestinal malignancy and reduce the number of cancer patients.

New Research Finds Computer Assisted Colonoscopy Identify More Precancerous Polyps Compared to Traditional Colonoscopy

Colonoscopies performed with artificial intelligence saw an increase in the overall rate of detection of adenoma, or cancerous and precancerous polyps, according to new data presented at the 2022 Digestive Disease Week Annual Meeting.

New Noninvasive Tests for Colon and Prostate Cancer Presented at the 2021 AACC Annual Scientific Meeting

Two research teams have developed new noninvasive tests that use either blood or saliva samples to diagnose cases of colorectal cancer or prostate cancer, respectively. Presented today at the 2021 AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo, these tests could facilitate screening efforts for colorectal cancer and allow clinicians to better distinguish early-stage prostate cancer from more benign prostate conditions.

Maternal obesity during pregnancy linked to higher risk of colorectal cancer in adult offspring

Infants whose mothers were obese during pregnancy may have a heightened risk of developing colorectal cancer later in life, according to new research led by public health experts at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).

New Patient Guide from NCCN Jumpstarts Important Conversations About Anal Cancer

New and updated patient and caregiver resources from National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) offer jargon-free, state-of-the-art information on diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance for anal, colon, and rectal cancers.

Global Event Will Advance Early Age Onset Colorectal Cancer Research

In many countries around the world, patients under age 50 are fighting, some dying, of colon and rectal cancers. Early-Age Onset Colorectal Cancer is an urgent issue in cancer research and patient care around the globe. We all want to know why this is happening, fully aware that for some, time is running out.

Patient reactions to colorectal cancer estimated to become the leading cause of cancer-related deaths for those 20-49 by 2030

In a recent JAMA publication, researchers predict, “For the age group 20-49, colorectal cancer was estimated to become the leading cause of cancer-related deaths by 2030.” Fight Colorectal Cancer (Fight CRC), the nation’s leading advocacy organization, is committed to amplifying…

Rock Musicians Rufus Wainwright, Lisa Loeb, Tim Reynolds and More to Perform Free Virtual Concert for Colorectal Cancer Awareness

The American College of Gastroenterology Invites All to “Tune It Up: A Concert To Raise Awareness of Colorectal Cancer” Free Webstream Event Open to All on March 31, 2021 at 8:00 pm EDT