A Ludwig Cancer Research study found that neuroblastoma tumors can be made more visible to the immune system by exploiting a specific inflammatory signaling mechanism. This discovery holds promise for improving treatment of drug-resistant childhood cancer through immunotherapy.
Researchers have devised a new method, NeoScreen, to generate large numbers of immune cells specifically engineered to recognize neoantigens and destroy tumors. This approach significantly improves the identification of patient-specific neoantigens, holding promise for the development of personalized immunotherapies.
A recent Ludwig Cancer Research study has identified a crucial cellular interaction that enhances the immune system's ability to destroy cancer cells. The interaction involves antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and T lymphocytes (TILs), which work together to boost and sustain T cell functionality. This discovery opens new avenues for tre...
A study by Ludwig Lausanne reveals how cancer cells convert immune cells into supporters of their growth and survival. The researchers identified β-glucosylceramide as the key lipid triggering this transformation, which can be targeted to slow or reverse tumor progression.
A Ludwig Cancer Research study has identified a potential combination therapy for treating brain metastases of breast cancer. The treatment targets tumor-associated macrophages and microglia, immune cells found within brain metastases that cancer cells can manipulate to support their growth and survival.
A study conducted by Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research has shown that extremely low doses of radiation combined with existing therapies can turn
A Ludwig Cancer Research study has found that transient chromosomal instability events can lead to the formation of tumors in mice. The researchers induced random chromosome instability in mice for one week and found that this was enough to trigger harmful chromosomal patterns that spur tumorigenesis.
A study published in Cancer Cell found that cavity-resident macrophages express high levels of Tim-4, which interacts with CD8+ T cells, distracting them from attacking tumors. Blocking Tim-4 enhances the effectiveness of immunotherapies and improves outcomes in mouse models of cancer.
A new study by Ludwig Institute researchers has developed a method to quickly identify potentially effective drug combinations for personalized cancer therapy. By using dynamic BH3 profiling, the team found specific metabolic dependencies in triple-negative breast cancer cells that could be targeted with existing drugs.
A Ludwig Cancer Research study has discovered how to revive terminally exhausted T lymphocytes, found within tumors, for cancer therapy by using an immune factor called interleukin-10. This revival restores their potent anti-cancer activity, leading to tumor regression and cures in mouse models of melanoma and colon cancer.
Researchers have identified a new mechanism by which pancreatic cancer cells de-differentiate into a progenitor state, leading to the development of highly aggressive tumors. This process is associated with poorer outcomes in patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.
Researchers discovered that tumors with low glycolysis levels respond better to CTLA-4 blockade, which destabilizes and reprograms regulatory T cells. This approach aims to personalize anti-CTLA-4 therapy for patients with these tumors.
Researchers found that two families of gut bacteria interfere with radiotherapy in mice, reducing the effectiveness of treatment. The study identified a short-chain fatty acid called butyrate as the key compound responsible for this effect, which interferes with the activation of cytotoxic T cells and dendritic cells.
Researchers have discovered that free-floating circular DNA fragments called ecDNA form in cancer cells and drive gene amplification to generate drug resistance. Combining chemotherapeutic drugs with molecules that prevent ecDNA formation can inhibit its emergence and reduce drug resistance.
Researchers at Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research developed a protocol to overcome difficulties in engineering and expanding mouse T cells for CAR-T cell therapies. The new method showed improved tumor control, proliferation, and persistence of CAR-T cells, as well as enhanced reprogramming of the tumor microenvironment.
Researchers discovered that nicotinamide riboside (NR) improves the fitness and function of T lymphocytes, which are vital for attacking tumors. In mouse models of melanoma and colon cancer, NR enhanced anti-tumor activity by improving mitochondrial function and preventing exhaustion.
A team of researchers has identified a novel drug target, 4-hydroxyacetophenone (4-HAP), that activates a protein motor and disrupts biomechanical processes essential to cell motility. In a mouse model, targeting this protein motor reduces the metastasis of colon cancer cells.
A study has identified a genetic synergy that can cause cancer cell death, which can be replicated by a drug-like molecule and exploited for therapy. The findings suggest that FEN1, a gene involved in DNA replication and repair, has synthetic lethal interactions with BRCA-mutant cells.
A study found that radiotherapy alters the behavior of immune cells, and reprogramming them with an existing drug can enhance its effects in brain cancer. The researchers demonstrated that combining radiotherapy with daily dosing of a CSF-1R inhibitor extended survival in mouse models of glioblastoma.
The study profiles 14 subtypes of immune cells in 100 brain tumor samples and reveals five types that predominantly sculpt the brain TME. The researchers found distinct patterns of immune cell composition and function among different glioma subtypes, including low-grade and high-grade gliomas.
A Ludwig Cancer Research study discovered that a gut microbiome metabolite, isoDCA, enhances the generation of regulatory T cells in the colon. This boost helps suppress chronic intestinal inflammation, a major driver of colorectal cancers.
A study found that targeting a specific protein involved in lipid uptake and metabolism could selectively disrupt the activity of regulatory T cells in tumors, boosting the effects of cancer immunotherapy. The researchers also discovered that CD36 deficiency induced a form of cell suicide in these immune cells, reducing tumor burden an...
Researchers have devised a new type of chimeric antigen-receptor (CAR) T cell that can be reversibly inactivated with small molecules, offering novel solutions to the safety concerns of CAR-T therapies. The 'STOP-CAR-T' system has been shown to work as well as traditional CAR-T systems and can be controlled by an approved drug.
The study developed a new method combining mass spectrometry technology and machine learning to identify HLA-II binding motifs, leading to improved prediction of immunogenic peptides. This advancement will refine personalized immunotherapy for cancer treatment.
A Ludwig Cancer Research study reveals that MYC-driven cancers rely heavily on fatty acid synthesis and can be targeted for treatment. The research provides concrete information for the development of new therapies for a broad spectrum of malignancies.
International experts pinpoint areas central to understanding the complex relationship between nutrition and cancer. Research gaps in diet, physical activity, and metabolic factors are highlighted, with a call for improved funding and institutional support for cancer prevention and nutrition research.
Researchers identified two key chemokines, CCL5 and CXCL9, as universally implicated in T cell infiltration across all solid tumors. Their simultaneous presence is a key requirement for the engraftment of T cells and establishment of 'hot tumors.'
A study analyzing over 7,000 tumors and normal samples reveals two simple patterns related to NAD production, a biomolecule essential to metabolism. Cancer cells' reliance on specific pathways for NAD production can be exploited with targeted therapies, offering new avenues for treating cancer.
A team of researchers has created a detailed 'atlas' of cell states for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a type of aggressive cancer. The atlas, generated using single-cell genomics and machine learning, identifies distinct cell types and their genetic characteristics, shedding light on the disease's heterogeneity.
A new sequencing method, TET-assisted pyridine borane sequencing (TAPS), detects chemical modifications to DNA that contribute to cancer progression and resistance to therapy. The method is less damaging and more efficient than bisulfite sequencing, enabling the detection of mutations and structural variations.
Researchers have identified a cellular mechanism by which cold tumors can be made susceptible to immunotherapy. The study found that inducing UCP2 expression in tumor cells prompts an anti-cancer immune response, drawing killer T cells and conventional type 1 dendritic cells into the microenvironment.
Researchers have found that the EGFR A289 mutation in glioblastoma multiforme tumors is susceptible to the Ludwig-developed antibody drug mAb806, which has shown promising results in clinical trials. The study suggests that this broader class of brain cancers may be targeted by the antibody drug.
A study found that baking soda can reverse acidity-induced dormancy and drug resistance in cancer cells, making them more susceptible to therapy. Researchers discovered that baking soda neutralizes the acidity of hypoxic patches in tumors, restoring mTOR activity and protein production.
Ludwig scientist Ralph Weichselbaum receives the David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award and Lecture for his discoveries in basic mechanisms of signal transduction and gene expression following radiation exposure. Jedd Wolchok, another Ludwig researcher, is named a 2018 ASCO Fellow for his work on harnessing the immune system to treat cancer.
Ludwig scientists present new data on cancers including colorectal, brain, breast, and ovarian cancer, as well as innovative clinical trials and novel approaches to cancer immunotherapy. The research focuses on mobilizing immunity against ovarian cancer and personalizing cancer treatment strategies.
Researchers developed a novel personalized vaccine made from tumor tissue and immune cells, inducing potent immune responses in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer. The vaccine showed promise in extending overall survival and improving progression-free survival.
Researchers developed a new method to identify highly reactive killer T cells in ovarian tumors, showing they can be selectively grown for personalized cell-based immunotherapies. The approach overcomes limitations of existing methods, enabling the use of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes for treating low-mutational load tumors.
The study reveals a novel mechanism by which cancer cells become dependent on methionine, an essential amino acid. Researchers propose using existing drugs like sulfasalazine to trigger this dependency and induce cancer cell death.
Researchers have discovered that tumors develop resistance to radiotherapy through an influx of immune suppressive cells, known as monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (M-MDSCs). Combining STING-activating drugs with anti-CCR2 antibodies can overcome this resistance and boost tumor destruction.
Ludwig Cancer Research researchers will present findings on cancer cell metabolism, tumor microenvironment, and potential therapeutic targets. They will also discuss the use of immunotherapy to treat brain cancer, including results from a Phase 2 clinical trial.
Researchers at Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research have identified a novel mechanism by which certain skin cancers, such as melanoma, resist cancer immunotherapy. The study found that an immune cell recruited to the tumor induces programmed suicide in killer T cells, and this interaction can be disrupted to improve treatment efficacy.
Ludwig scientists present updates on checkpoint blockade immunotherapies for advanced melanoma and phase 1 clinical trials combining PI3K-gamma inhibitors with PD-1 blockade. Researchers also discuss novel approaches to boosting radiotherapy efficacy and understanding tumor immune suppression mechanisms.
Researchers have uncovered a new mechanism by which cancer cells evade the immune system, recruiting group 2 innate lymphoid cells to suppress an essential anticancer immune response. Depleting these cells or blocking key molecules restored anti-cancer immunity and extended survival in mouse models.
Researchers develop a technique called expansion microscopy to physically expand tissues, enabling pathologists to diagnose diseases like early breast cancer with high accuracy and reliability. The method has been shown to improve the resolution of conventional microscopes and can be applied to any type of clinical sample.
Ludwig scientists will present four clinical trials of checkpoint antibody combination immunotherapies to treat patients with advanced solid tumors, multiple myeloma, and glioblastoma. They will also share findings on other topics, including circulating tumor DNA in early diagnosis and treatment.
Researchers found that PTEN, a frequently deleted tumor suppressor gene in cancer, can regulate oncogene expression by increasing the deposition of DAXX and H3.3 onto chromatin. The study showed that eliminating both genes led to a synthetic growth defect, slowing down tumor growth.
Ludwig researchers present symposiums, plenaries and poster sessions on tumor microenvironment, metabolism and immunotherapy; share insights on predictive biomarkers and early detection technologies like liquid biopsies.
Scientists have identified a metabolic weakness in triple-negative breast cancer cells that may be exploited to quell their resistance to chemotherapy. Targeting this pathway could lead to increased cancer cell death and improved treatment outcomes.
A new study reveals that short fragments of circular DNA encoding cancer genes are common in cancer cells and contribute to their diversity. The research suggests that tumors with these genes on circular DNA are more resistant to treatments, making them harder to treat.
A new study by Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research has identified an ancient cellular response that underlies the spread of melanoma. The findings show that punishing conditions within the tumor prompt a subset of tumor cells to become invasive, and suggest novel strategies for treating this form of skin cancer.