Research on the biology of tumor cells. Covers tumor spread, cell-particle diagnostics, new anti-tumor molecules, and cancer-killing immune cells.
A recent study published in PLOS ONE found that combining copper ions with a drug once used for treating alcoholism kills medulloblastoma cancer cells and prevents new ones from forming. The therapy also curtails the creation of cancer stem cells, which initiate tumor growth and recurrence.
Researchers found that certain T cells stop working before entering the tumor due to changes in gene expression, making ICB therapies less effective. Combining ICB with other forms of immunotherapy targeting different aspects of T cell function may improve response rates for non-small cell lung cancer patients.
Researchers from MUSC Hollings Cancer Center, UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Winship Cancer Institute discovered that pre-surgical anti-PD-1 immunotherapy is safe and effective for OCSCC patients. The studies identified potential molecular biomarkers in blood and tumors to predict treatment response.
Researchers from Kazan Federal University have developed a gene-cell preparation that uses membrane vesicles to target and kill cancer cells. The technology has shown promise in treating various types of cancer, including breast, lung, and colon cancer.
Researchers describe how cancer cells exploit genetic and cellular processes to promote tumor survival and growth. The study found that aneuploidy, a condition of abnormal chromosome number, intersects with the stress response mechanism in cancer cells, leading to immune cell dysregulation.
Researchers at MIT develop a method to decode images of cells in a tissue to determine its phase, which can indicate its developmental stage or cancer progression. The technique uses triangular order parameters to characterize tissue states, allowing for quicker and less invasive diagnoses.
A new, bacteria-based system can detect cancer cells and release therapeutic drugs directly into them, leaving healthy cells intact. The technology has shown promising results in preclinical tests on mice, particularly for liver cancer.
A team of researchers from Japan has developed a platform using nanofibers to capture and control the migration of brain tumor cells, including glioblastoma multiforme. The study found that varying fiber densities can slow or speed up cell movement, leading to the creation of 'cell traps' that can restrict tumor cell growth.
A new study from MIT reveals that calorie-restricted diets slow tumor growth in mice by reducing fatty acid availability, while ketogenic diets have limited effect. The findings offer insight into how dietary interventions might be combined with existing or emerging drugs to help patients with cancer.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new approach to treat cancer by combining chemotherapy, tumor injury, and immunotherapy. In mouse studies, the treatment eliminated tumors completely in nearly half of the mice and showed promise against various types of cancer.
Researchers from UPV/EHU and Biocruces pathologists use game theory to study tumor cell interactions, finding that higher cell diversity may be beneficial for patients. This approach reveals the importance of collective stability in tumor cells' pursuit of better environments.
Scientists developed a fluorescent spray that specifically targets and illuminates cancerous tissue, enabling precise tumor detection and removal during surgery. The innovative approach offers a solution to the challenge of distinguishing between healthy tissue and cancerous cells.
Researchers created polymersomes that target highly invasive cancer cells, delivering anticancer drugs and preventing metastasis. The nanomachines showed strong antitumor effects in breast cancer models, inhibiting lung metastasis and prolonging survival.
A novel therapy concept allows tumor cells to produce a protein that blocks CD47 and activates immune cells. This approach eradicates tumors by macrophage and NK cell activation in a highly malignant human breast cancer model.
Researchers have discovered a way to bring cancer-killing T cells to bear against a specific type of colorectal cancer, showing promising results. The findings may represent a therapeutic strategy to target other types of cancers, and the next step is to further explore how T cells become activated in the tumor environment.
A multicenter study found cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging to be highly accurate in diagnosing and excluding cardiac tumors. The results show that CMR provides prognostic value beyond clinical factors.
Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine have profiled individual cells from patients' brain tumors in unprecedented detail, revealing distinct states and programming marks that could be targeted with future drugs. The study offers insights into glioma dynamics and may lead to better detection, staging, monitoring, and treatment methods.
A high-fat diet increases the incidence of colorectal cancer by suppressing MHC-II levels in intestinal cells. This disruption allows cancer cells to grow unchecked. Researchers hope that reconfiguring the gut microbiome and boosting immune recognition molecules can help combat cancer.
Researchers found that antidepressants inhibit the growth of pancreatic and colon cancers in mice by blocking a mechanism used by cancer cells to evade the immune system. The findings suggest a promising approach for combining antidepressant drugs with immunotherapy to treat incurable cancers.
A new imaging technique using PET/MR and a PET tracer directed against CXCR4 shows high accuracy in detecting MALT lymphomas of the stomach, potentially reducing the need for repeated gastroscopies. The study found that [68Ga]Pentixafor PET/MR achieved 97% accuracy in detecting tumours compared to gastroscopy.
Research at CNRS reveals that compressed cell nuclei can lead to DNA damage and accelerated aging in healthy cells. In breast tumors, this damage enables tumor cells to invade neighboring tissues with increased risk of metastasis.
Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine identified club cell factors that inhibit immunosuppressive cells in tumors, leading to increased antitumor T cells and improved effectiveness of PD1 immunotherapy. A
Researchers at Uppsala University developed a new method to track individual cancer cells and their offspring over time. The study found that brain tumour cells are hierarchically organised, but with some degree of flexibility, and that drug treatment influences cell organisation. This breakthrough may lead to the development of target...
Researchers discover that tumor suppressor genes can prevent the immune system from spotting and destroying malignant cells in mice. The study reveals a surprising new action for many of these defective genes, which trigger mechanisms that prevent the immune system's T-cells from targeting tumors.
Researchers at UNSW Sydney have found the specific protein responsible for keeping cells attached to collagen, a key finding for cancer research. The discovery could lead to new directions for cancer treatment by targeting the protein tropomyosin, which is involved in forming the anchor's chain.
A new study suggests that T cell therapy alone or combined with cancer drug nivolumab is safe and persistent in attacking Hodgkin's lymphoma cells. The treatment showed promising results in patients with relapsed or refractory HL, offering a potential option for those who do not respond to checkpoint inhibitors.
A new study published in Nature Communications reveals that low-risk and high-risk neuroblastoma have distinct cell identities, which can affect survival rates. The researchers identified a progenitor cell type found in fetal adrenal tissue, which may contribute to the development of aggressive neuroblastoma in older children.
Researchers identified a minimal set of defined factors that can convert normal human fibroblast cells to liver cancer cells, providing a mechanistic proof-of-principle for understanding why certain mutations cause cancer in particular tissues.
MUSC Hollings Cancer Center researchers discovered a novel mechanism showing how a certain gene mutation can allow tumors to evade detection by the immune system in colorectal cancer patients. The study found that APC mutations lead to increased levels of PD-L1, which allows tumors to evade T-cell function and increase immunosuppression.
Researchers at McGill University identified proteins that drive cancer stem cells in brain tumours. Targeting the protein galectin1 may provide a more effective treatment for glioblastoma when combined with radiation therapy. The study found significant improvement in tumour response to radiation therapy, resulting in expanded lifespan.
PLOS Medicine features five studies outlining novel strategies for detecting cancer and identifying minimal residual disease. Researchers discuss innovative approaches, including plasma cell-free DNA sequencing and urine tumor DNA detection, to distinguish between benign and malignant tumors.
Researchers have uncovered a weakness in the key enzyme that solid tumour cancer cells rely on to adapt and survive when oxygen levels are low. Inhibiting this enzyme, called Carbonic Anhydrase IX (CAIX), can effectively stop cancer cell growth.
Researchers at the University of Southampton have identified a unique change in B cells that allows them to receive signals from molecules called lectins, enabling tumor growth. This discovery could pave the way for new treatments and early cancer detection methods.
Researchers discovered that noncoding RNA derived from pericentromeric repetitive sequences upregulates SASP-like inflammatory gene expression by disturbing chromatin interactions. hSATII RNA is highly detectable in cancer cells and supports tumor development via small EVs, highlighting a new role in age-related pathologies.
A study by the Center for Cell-Based Therapy in São Paulo, Brazil, has discovered a set of biomarkers that can be used to predict which patients with glioblastoma may have tumors resistant to radiation therapy. The genetic signature helps doctors choose the best treatment option for these patients.
Researchers have developed heat-controllable CAR T cells that can target and destroy cancerous tumors, while preventing relapse. The cells are engineered to produce immunomodulators under photothermal control, increasing their effectiveness against solid tumors.
Researchers uncover how cancer cells make lactic acid to thrive in low-oxygen environments, a process enabled by the PRL-3 protein. This discovery holds promise for developing inhibitors to disrupt this survival mechanism.
Researchers have discovered how PARP inhibitors selectively kill cancer cells carrying BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. The findings provide a mechanistic explanation for the selectivity of PARP inhibitors toward BRCA-mutant cells.
Researchers found that microscopic defects in healthy cell alignment can slow down tumor cell invasion. The study used an experimental model to show how topological defects affect the rate of tumor cell invasion, with certain defects causing cancer cells to pass through the barrier more slowly.
Researchers have found a way to harness the power of immunotherapy for advanced prostate cancer by targeting a protein called PIKfyve. Blocking PIKfyve with the inhibitor ESK981 has been shown to increase tumor death and recruit immune T cells, offering new hope for patients with this challenging form of cancer.
Scientists have discovered a way to restrict the activity of Tregs, which regulate the immune system and prevent it from attacking healthy cells. Inhibition of PIP4K enzymes in Tregs allows Teff cells to function more effectively, leading to better cancer treatment outcomes.
Researchers developed a 3D platform to study therapeutic combinations against cancer cells, allowing for rapid optimization of personalized immunotherapies. The platform demonstrated significant differences in treatment efficacy between 2D cell cultures and the 3D spheroid design.
Researchers have discovered that increased levels of protein Tumour Protein D54 can increase and decrease the movement of cancer cells, suggesting its potential role in tumour spread. The study found that reducing or increasing this protein's expression affects cell migration, with higher levels leading to more metastasis.
Luay Nakhleh's team will use single-cell DNA data from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to identify mutations at the root of the disease and how they evolve in tumors. By building open-source models and tools, they aim to refine cancer treatments and predict patient outcomes.
Researchers have discovered that a small percentage of drug-resistant cancer cells were already present before treatment, relying on alternative genes for survival. Understanding this mechanism is key to developing new treatments to eliminate both AXL- and EGFR-dependent cells from the start.
Researchers identified a specialized protein called TRPM7 that regulates the key step in cancer metastasis by sensing fluid flow and stopping cells from entering the bloodstream. Artificially increasing TRPM7 expression in tumor cells may help stop intravasation and ultimately metastasis.
Researchers discovered that colorectal cancer cells exploit an innate immune system activator to fuel their own growth and eliminate surrounding healthy cells. This feedback loop disrupts the balance of cell growth and differentiation, allowing tumors to expand and spread.
A phase 3 trial found that Lu-PSMA-617 significantly improved survival and progression-free survival of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. The treatment delivered beta radiation directly to tumour cells, keeping them alive for longer than standard care.
Scientists have found that short-chain fatty acids can increase the efficiency of tumor therapies by boosting the activity of killer cells. The researchers identified pentanoate, produced by Megasphaera massiliensis bacteria, as a key player in this process.
Researchers have devised a way to multiply the accessible details of gene activity in individual cells, allowing for better understanding of cancer development and brain function. The new method delivers about a ten-fold improvement in DNA recovery from single cells and reduces sequencing costs by one third.
Researchers from UNIGE and Harvard Medical School have discovered the difference between desired immune responses targeting cancer cells and unwanted responses affecting healthy tissue. By understanding these differences, they aim to develop new therapeutic approaches that minimize toxic side effects and maximize treatment efficacy.
Researchers used machine learning to analyze tumor microenvironment and identify biomarkers that predict patient response to immunotherapy. The model outperformed current biomarkers, enabling personalized treatment and better understanding of biological mechanisms involved.
Researchers found 556 novel markers of colorectal tumors with microsatellite instability, which are differentially expressed genes. These markers were identified by incorporating cell composition into their regression model, indicating a potential role in disease prognosis.
Researchers at McMaster University have developed a promising new cancer immunotherapy that uses genetically engineered natural killer cells to find and destroy malignant tumors. The modified cells can differentiate between cancer cells and healthy cells, bringing new promise to this branch of immunotherapy.
Researchers discovered hematopoietic stem cells in glioblastomas, which promote division of cancer cells and suppress the immune response. These blood stem cells stimulate tumor growth and produce immunosuppressive messengers.
ASU engineering researchers have discovered a new neural stem cell state that could be key to unlocking new methods of brain cancer treatment. The team found that the quiescent Neural G0 state is independent of a tumor's proliferation rate and can potentially be targeted for new drug treatments.
New research suggests that treating cancer patients with anti-CTLA4 therapies before anti-PD1 treatment can improve overall survival. High numbers of T follicular regulatory (Tfr) cells in tumors may be to blame for the lack of response to anti-PD1 therapies.
Scientists at Princess Máxima Center developed a new imaging technique to study millions of cells in 3D tissue, revealing hundreds of features from each individual cell. The technique helps analyze molecular profiles and cell shape, potentially improving diagnosis and treatment for children's cancers.
The study found ADCs made with cleavable linkers can decrease small-cell lung cancer tumor size in PDX mouse models, showing promise for improved efficacy. The 'bystander effect' kills nearby nontargeted cancer cells often found near malignant tumors.
A recent UCI-led study reveals that cancer immunotherapy can trigger both favorable and unfavorable immune effects, with T regulatory cells playing a key role in limiting tumor control. The study found that CTLA-4 blockage activates these cells, decreasing the efficacy of immunotherapy and potentially leading to fatal autoimmunity.