Researchers at Dartmouth Health identified a higher risk of severe reactions in patients with alpha-gal syndrome when receiving blood plasma or platelet transfusions, particularly from type O donors. The study suggests that pre-existing antibodies to alpha-gal from tick bites may be a contributing factor.
A Dartmouth Cancer Center study reveals that the location of immune cells within a tumor can determine whether they aid or hinder the anti-cancer response. Macrophages, often seen as helpful in clearing debris, have been found to play complex roles depending on their location and signals produced.
A new national clinical trial investigates whether fewer invasive bladder exams can safely reduce discomfort and improve quality of life for patients with bladder cancer. Led by Dartmouth Cancer Center, the study aims to show that fewer procedures are just as effective at keeping patients healthy.
A new study led by Dartmouth Cancer Center identifies key barriers to timely head and neck cancer treatment in rural areas, including transportation and caregiver challenges. The research highlights the importance of dedicated staff, strong community ties, and peer support in navigating the complexity of cancer care.
Roy S. Herbst will lead integrated efforts to strengthen cancer research, education, and collaboration across Dartmouth and Dartmouth Health. He aims to expand access to advanced treatments and clinical trials, elevating cancer care in New England and beyond.
A new study found that the common blood pressure medication telmisartan can significantly enhance the cancer-killing activity of olaparib, potentially expanding its use to many more patients. Telmisartan made tumors more vulnerable to PARP inhibitors, even when they lacked specific DNA repair defects.
A recent study published in Aging Cell found a balance between naïve and memory immune cells accelerates or slows down biological aging. The team discovered using novel tools for immune profiling, which opened new doors to understanding the relationships between the immune system and biological age.
A new study by researchers at Dartmouth Cancer Center shows that a combination of estrogen and PARP inhibitors can effectively treat advanced ER+ breast cancer by damaging cancer cells and preventing DNA repair. The treatment strategy has been shown to be effective regardless of BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic mutations.
Researchers at Dartmouth Cancer Center found that alternating estrogen stimulation and anti-estrogen therapy is an effective treatment for patients with metastatic or advanced ER+ breast cancer. The POLLY trial showed that 42% of patients experienced tumor stabilization, while no patients discontinued treatment due to side effects.
Researchers at Dartmouth Cancer Center developed a new approach for detecting and quantifying tumor heterogeneity in breast cancer. High levels of heterogeneity are linked to poor patient outcomes, while specific proteins regulate its extent. The study aims to utilize this approach in therapeutic decision-making.
A new study from Dartmouth Cancer Center re-examines claims of high pediatric cancer rates in New Hampshire, revealing the Northeast region has a statistically significantly higher incidence of cancer compared to all other U.S. regions. Within the Northeastern states, no single state is an outlier, with significant variations in incide...
A quality improvement project at Dartmouth Cancer Center increased serious illness conversations between patients and providers from 0% to 70%, reflecting the importance of early discussions on prognosis and treatment options. The project's success was attributed to standardized work, an engaged interdisciplinary team, and system-level...
A new study suggests that while breast density knowledge may be increasing due to existing state laws, there is still room for improvement. The study found that most women with non-dense breasts did not correctly know their own density, and that lower education was associated with a lower chance of accurately knowing one's own density.
A new study reveals that intra-tumoral injections of a plant virus-based immunotherapy could lead to groundbreaking therapy for both canine and human inflammatory breast cancer patients. The treatment generated potent local and systemic anti-tumor immune responses, improving quality of life and survival in treated dogs.
A novel immune-profiling method can return detailed immune cell type proportions using only DNA from blood, potentially allowing for individualized prediction of outcomes in immunotherapy patients. This approach offers the opportunity to ask and answer questions about the immune system in health and disease.
A new AI model has been developed to classify colorectal polyps, demonstrating accuracy and sensitivity at a level comparable to practicing pathologists. The model was tested in a clinical trial involving 15 pathologists, showing significant improvements in accuracy compared to traditional methods.
Patients with certain gene mutations are at high risk of fatal chemotherapy toxicity, with a 25-times increased risk detected in those with uncommon DPYD variants. The study suggests that adding pre-treatment screening may help prevent avoidable deaths without interrupting standard care.
A Dartmouth research team has been selected to present their abstract on a new advancement in Cherenkov imaging at the ASTRO Annual Meeting. The work, which involves designing a color-sensitive camera to image Cherenkov emission from patients, allows for more accurate quantification of radiation delivery and safe treatment.
A novel population of long-lived T cells, called 'lymph node resident memory T cells,' provides protection against melanoma by persisting in lymph nodes. These cells were found to counteract melanoma spreading in mice and predicted better outcomes for human melanoma patients with lymph node metastases.
A team of researchers identifies how the cowpea mosaic plant virus is recognized by the immune system and strongly stimulates it to attack and eliminate cancerous tumors. The discovery opens the door for CPMV to be pursued as a new biological drug for treatment of cancer.
Researchers have developed a prognostic and therapeutic epigenetic biomarker for PDAC patients, predicting which are likely to benefit from traditional chemotherapy. The technology addresses a pressing clinical need by introducing the first ever epigenetic precision medicine approach to pancreatic cancer.
Researchers at Dartmouth's Norris Cotton Cancer Center have found that cycling between estrogen treatment and anti-estrogen therapies can dramatically increase the duration of tumor regression in mice. This unconventional approach suggests treating short-term with estrogen before resistance occurs, leading to better long-term control.
A subset of T cells, known as memory T cells, can persist for years in melanoma patients with durable responses to immunotherapy. Researchers identified a new subset of resident memory (TRM) cells that localize to patient skin and tumor and make high levels of the cytokine interferon gamma.
The BeamSite Cherenkov imaging camera system captures real-time images of the beam directly on the patient, allowing radiation oncologists to verify accuracy of dose and beam delivery. This technology has improved treatment quality, precision, and patient safety during radiation therapy.
Dartmouth researchers have developed a method to convert standard linear accelerators to deliver ultra-high-dose rate radiation therapy beams, known as FLASH. The beams have been shown to protect normal tissues from excess damage while maintaining the same treatment effect on tumor tissues.
A team of researchers discovered that the mammary basal cell lineage contributes to breast cancer heterogeneity, fueling the outgrowth of multiple aggressive tumor subpopulations. By activating a signaling pathway driven by protein kinase A (PKA), they can limit self-renewal potential and impede metastasis.
Researchers investigate how antibodies affect varying outcomes in coronavirus patients, with potential implications for vaccine efficacy and treatment approaches. The team aims to identify conditions under which antibody-dependent enhancement occurs and develop new assays for therapeutic antibody screening.
A $204,000 grant from the NCI will support research on sustainability of telemedicine for rural cancer patients. The study aims to identify factors allowing telemedicine to be sustained over time and its impact on patients.
A new study shows that genomic mutation testing using the Idylla automated system can reduce wait times for test results from 15 days to just 5 days. This allows patients to begin treatment for colorectal cancer sooner.
A new study has discovered a direct link between mutations in the p53 tumor suppressor gene and the KRAS oncogene, driving the formation of pancreatic cancer. The research provides insight into the mechanism that regulates cell activity, offering potential therapeutic targets for future development.
Researchers at Dartmouth Health have found that HPV vaccines effective in the US may not provide adequate protection for women in low- and middle-income countries due to differing prevalence of HPV strains. This has significant implications for cervical cancer prevention and treatment in these regions.
A new AI model has been developed to classify colorectal polyps on histology slides with high accuracy, performing as well as practicing pathologists. The model was trained on a dataset from 24 different institutions and evaluated on an external dataset, demonstrating its generalizability.
Metformin activates fat metabolism that promotes survival of dormant breast cancer cells during estrogen deprivation, suggesting context-dependent effects on cancer cells. This discovery informs ongoing clinical trials and guides the development of new therapeutic targets to selectively kill cancer cells.
A collaborative research team from Dartmouth and Honduras found a high level of participation in rural cancer screening events, resulting in over 88% of identified individuals seeking follow-up care. The 'multiphasic' approach involved multiple cancer screenings in one event, which was well-received by local communities.
Researchers at Dartmouth's Norris Cotton Cancer Center have developed a non-invasive way to directly monitor oxygen distributions within cancer tumors during radiation therapy. The method uses specialty cameras and an oxygen probe drug injection to image the distribution of oxygen from within the tumor.
A team of researchers aims to improve early detection of cognitive impairment using voice assistant systems like Amazon Alexa and Google Home. They will collect data on patient participants to provide feedback to patients, caregivers, and clinicians, potentially enabling long-term planning for independence.
A research team at Dartmouth's Norris Cotton Cancer Center has identified VISTA as a molecule that regulates immunity and limits the damage it can cause. Blocking VISTA may enhance the host's ability to make protective tumor-specific immune responses, leading to potential therapeutic response to cancer.
Blocking a cellular receptor called AHR prevents and reverses obesity in mice by inhibiting key genes involved in fat metabolism. Researchers at Dartmouth's Norris Cotton Cancer Center found that the drug NF, which blocks AHR, can not only prevent but also reverse obesity in study mice.
A team of researchers at Dartmouth's Norris Cotton Cancer Center has collected real-time data to show that light is produced inside the eye during head and neck radiation therapy, elicitng a visual sensation. This evidence supports the idea that Cherenkov light emission from the eye can cause a visual effect.
A new study explores women's knowledge and perceptions of breast density and breast cancer screening across three states with varying notification laws. Women from all states had varying knowledge about their own breast density and breast density in general, and expressed a strong desire for more information.
Researchers at Dartmouth's Norris Cotton Cancer Center found that breast cancer cells can take up large quantities of fat from the bloodstream through a novel mechanism called endocytosis of lipoproteins. This uptake provides a reliable source of energy for cancer cell proliferation.
A novel attention-based deep learning method automatically learns clinically important regions on whole-slide images to classify them. The new approach outperformed the current state-of-the-art approach that requires detailed annotations for its training.
A study by Dartmouth researchers found that a specific genetic subgroup of triple-negative breast cancer and ovarian cancer is vulnerable to heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) inhibitors. This discovery may lead to improved treatment strategies for patients with these cancers.
A Dartmouth computer scientist has received a $1.5 million grant to develop machine learning approaches that can reveal relationships between clinical and pathologic findings, patient genetic profiles, and drug resistance in non-small cell lung cancer patients. The goal is to provide personalized treatment strategies for NSCLC patients.
The collaboration aims to develop and implement protocols, resources, and specialized care areas for geriatric emergency care in rural hospitals. The project will evaluate the effectiveness of telemedicine in extending the reach of a geriatric emergency department to rural facilities.
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health has launched a new program providing six Cancer Research Fellows with up to two days of protected time per year. The fellows will focus on researching causes and cures for cancer, with funding covering their effort and time away from clinic.
A new scale has been created to assess preschool-age children's behavior towards external food cues, such as marketing and social influence. The scale shows a positive association with overeating behaviors, highlighting the importance of understanding how young children's environment impacts their eating habits.
Researchers from Dartmouth's Norris Cotton Cancer Center have introduced an inexpensive DNA-based testing protocol for HPV in Honduras. The study found that of 1,732 women screened, 28% were positive for a high-risk HPV type, and the most common HPV genotypes detected were different than those commonly found in the US.
A nationally representative study found that teenagers and young adults are more likely to use fruit- and candy-flavored e-cigarettes than their adult counterparts. The study also revealed that adolescent vapers were more likely to experiment with multiple flavor types, which may be a key factor in their vaping habits.
A team of researchers at Dartmouth's Norris Cotton Cancer Center has developed a deep neural network to classify different types of lung adenocarcinoma on histopathology slides. The model achieved high accuracy comparable to that of pathologists, showing great potential for assisting in prognosis and treatment.