HOUSTON, APRIL 9, 2026 ― At The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center , research breakthroughs are made possible through seamless collaboration between the institution’s world-leading clinicians and scientists, bringing discoveries from the lab to the clinic and back. The studies below showcase the latest advances in cancer care, research and prevention.
Researchers identify blood-based biomarker for cancer risk in people with Lynch Syndrome
Read the full release | Read the study in Nature Communications
Researchers have discovered a new blood-based biomarker that can help identify and characterize asymptomatic people with Lynch Syndrome (LS) who are more susceptible to developing cancer based on early immune detection signatures, allowing clinicians to stratify patients based on their personal risk level. The study was led by Eduardo Vilar-Sanchez, M.D., Ph.D. , chair ad interim of Clinical Cancer Prevention . The results advance our understanding of T cell responses in LS carriers, providing personalized insights for early cancer detection, monitoring and therapeutic interventions for these individuals.
“Providing a potential non-invasive blood test to track cancer risk and immune activity in patients with Lynch Syndrome is a tremendous step forward for this patient population,” Vilar-Sanchez said. “These are valuable insights into immune responses that can help personalize the way we monitor and direct prevention strategies."
Researchers find new target to sensitize pancreatic tumors to immunotherapy
Read the full release | Read the study in Cancer Research
Researchers identified an epigenetic target for replication stress, called DPY30, that could sensitize pancreatic tumors to immunotherapy and serve as a predictive biomarker for patients most likely to benefit from treatment. The study was led by Francesca Citron, Pharm.D., Ph.D., instructor of Genomic Medicine , Andrea Viale, M.D. , associate professor of Genomic Medicine , Katharina Schlacher, Ph.D. , associate professor of Cancer Biology , and Giulio Draetta, M.D., Ph.D., former chief scientific officer.
“Understanding this new function of DPY30 as an epigenetic switch suppressing DNA replication stress in cancer cells can have a tremendous impact on future therapeutic strategies for pancreatic cancer patients, especially in combination with immunotherapy,” Citron said. “We are encouraged by the potential to investigate this protein both as a predictive biomarker and as a therapeutic target to enhance immunotherapy response for patients with pancreatic cancer, who currently have limited effective treatment options.”
Study identifies strategy to overcome radiation therapy resistance in lung cancer
Read the full release | Read the study in Cancer Research
Researchers identified one way lung cancer becomes resistant to radiation therapy and then developed a strategy to overcome this challenge. Led by Boyi Gan, Ph.D. , professor of Experimental Radiation Oncology , the researchers discovered that the mitochondrial enzyme dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) can protect cancer cells from ferroptosis – an iron-dependent form of cell death triggered by radiation – thereby contributing to radiation therapy resistance in lung cancer. In preclinical models, the researchers were able to overcome this resistance by inhibiting DHODH with leflunomide, an arthritis medication already approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“This is an important finding because of the immediate translational opportunity,” Gan said. “By understanding how DHODH is preventing cell death in radioresistant cancer cells, we were able to develop a strategy to overcome radiation therapy resistance in tumor models.”
Radiation therapy improves outcomes for 'supermassive’ bile duct tumors
Read the full release | Read the study in Clinical Cancer Research
A new study demonstrates that a specialized high-dose type of radiation delivery may significantly improve outcomes for patients with large bile duct tumors in the liver, known as intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. The retrospective study was led by Ethan Ludmir, M.D. , associate professor, and Eugene Koay, M.D., Ph.D. , professor, both of Gastrointestinal Radiation Oncology . According to the results, patients treated with this radiation had a median survival more than twice that of the patients treated with chemotherapy alone.
“Traditionally, patients with very large tumors were not treated with radiation due to safety concerns,” Ludmir said. “But our ability to more precisely deliver higher doses of radiation has dramatically improved over the last 10 to 15 years to the point that we can now treat these tumors safely. This study makes a compelling case that there is a very significant benefit from this approach.”
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