MD Anderson Research Highlights for August 2, 2023

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Research Highlights showcases the latest breakthroughs in cancer care, research and prevention. These advances are made possible through seamless collaboration between MD Anderson’s world-leading clinicians and scientists, bringing discoveries from the lab to the clinic and back.

Recent developments include a novel biomarker that may predict the aggressiveness of pancreatic cancer precursors, insights into the structure and function of a breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility gene, a new approach to overcoming treatment resistance in ovarian cancer, distinguishing features of young-onset rectal cancer, a biomarker and potential target for metastatic lung cancer, machine learning models to better predict outcomes of patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), and a promising therapy for patients with relapsed/refractory MCL.

Standing Up to Stage 4 Breast Cancer

Holly Hammond faced one of the toughest-imaginable breast cancer scenarios. Her cancer was already advanced and had spread to her liver and lymph nodes when she discovered a tumor on her right breast. The tumor was negative for all of the markers that respond to targeted therapies for cancer treatment. She was also positive for the genes that mark her as especially prone to breast cancer.