Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Why monkey studies may mislead research on cancer immunotherapy drugs targeting TIGIT

Researchers have discovered that rhesus macaques shed TIGIT from immune cell surfaces when exposed to plasmin, a natural enzyme involved in blood clot breakdown. This creates a soluble form of TIGIT that can still bind anti-TIGIT monoclonal antibodies, potentially leading to misleading safety and efficacy data for human trials.

SourceUniversity of California - Davis Health·JournalJournal of Biological Chemistry·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 24, 2025

Bowel cancer's "Big Bang" moment revealed

Researchers found that bowel cancer cells can escape the immune system through epigenetic changes, leading to limited changes in how the cancer presents itself. This understanding could lead to targeted and effective treatments for patients with bowel cancer, particularly those who respond well to immunotherapy.

SourceCancer Research UK·JournalNature Genetics·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 5, 2025

Decoding the T-cell burst: Signature genes that predict T-cell expansion in cancer immunotherapy

Researchers at Tokyo University of Science identified genes that predict CD8+ T cell expansion in cancer immunotherapy. A 'signature gene set' or 'expansion signature' was found to identify primed T cells for growth, predicting treatment response and offering a potential guide for new therapies.

SourceTokyo University of Science·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 21, 2025

Combination of immunotherapy and targeted therapy improves survival for patients with advanced colorectal cancer

Researchers found that combining zanzalintinib, a targeted therapy drug, with atezolizumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, improved survival rates by 20% compared to standard treatment regorafenib. The new combination also delayed cancer progression and showed promising results in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

ESMO: 10-year survival data for lung cancer immunotherapy, new PSMA-targeted therapy for recurrent prostate cancer, promising results in metastatic colorectal and urothelial cancers

UCLA investigators unveil decade-long survival data for immunotherapy in advanced lung cancer and promising results for novel therapies targeting PSMA, DKK1, and FGFR3 in various aggressive cancers. These breakthroughs hold promise for improved treatment outcomes and quality of life for patients with difficult-to-treat diseases.

Chinese Medical Journal review highlights neoadjuvant therapy’s promise in advanced colon cancer treatment

Recent clinical trials demonstrate the potential benefits of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and immunotherapy in improving tumor response and surgical success for patients with locally advanced colon cancer. The approach also reduces the risk of recurrence and metastasis, increasing survival outcomes and decreasing cancer-related complications.

SourceChinese Medical Journals Publishing House Co., Ltd.·JournalChinese Medical Journal·TypeLiterature review·DateSep 19, 2025

CDI Lab, HMH specialists identify vital pathway initiating cellular immunity in Science Immunology journal

Researchers at CDI Lab have identified two protein transcription factors, Tcf1 and Lef1, as critical modulators of T cell fate in the thymus. This discovery could lead to novel approaches in treating immune deficiencies, autoimmune diseases, and optimizing immunotherapies in cancer treatment.

SourceHackensack Meridian Health·JournalScience Immunology·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 17, 2025

High-volume antibody testing platform could accelerate disease research and treatment development

Researchers developed a high-volume method to rapidly build and test large numbers of antibodies at once, accelerating antibody research and treatment development. The oPool+ display platform has potential applications in influenza vaccination research, infectious disease treatment, and cancer research.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalScience Translational Medicine·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 3, 2025

Immune cell therapy for advanced head and neck cancer helps stabilize disease

A phase 2 clinical trial found that autologous tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) cell therapy helped stabilize metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) in some patients. The median response duration was 7.6 months, with cancer stabilization occurring in 64% of patients.

SourceUniversity of North Carolina Health Care·JournalJournal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateAug 28, 2025

A stunning first look at the viruses inside us

Researchers mapped the surface envelope glycoprotein of human endogenous retroviruses, opening doors to new diagnostic and therapeutic opportunities. The study revealed specific antibodies that target the viral proteins, potentially leading to new cancer immunotherapies and treatments for autoimmune diseases.

SourceLa Jolla Institute for Immunology·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 27, 2025

Off-the-shelf cancer vaccine elicits strong immune response in patients with pancreatic and colorectal cancer

A novel cancer vaccine has shown encouraging early results in patients with pancreatic and colorectal cancer, two of the most difficult-to-treat malignancies. The vaccine targets KRAS mutations found in about 25% of solid tumors and drives about 90% of pancreatic cancers and 50% of colorectal cancers.

Shedding light on why immunotherapy sometimes fails

Researchers found that certain antibodies can reduce antitumor immune cells, highlighting the need to consider ADCC activity when designing or selecting ICI therapeutics. This study could help improve cancer treatment by engineering antibodies that avoid damaging essential immune cells.

SourceChiba University·JournalInternational Journal of Pharmaceutics·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 24, 2025

An FDA-backed metric used to determine effectiveness of rectal cancer drugs may be unreliable, says new study

A new study published in JAMA Network Open found no statistical relationship between pathologic complete response (pCR) and overall survival in rectal cancer patients. This challenges the FDA's use of pCR as a surrogate endpoint for drug approval, which may lead to treatments being fast-tracked without evidence of improved long-term su...

SourceTulane University·JournalJAMA Network Open·DateJul 17, 2025

The same technology that enables targeted immunotherapy for cancer could be used to tackle Alzheimer's

A proof-of-concept study shows that chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) can distinguish between tau tangles and various forms of toxic amyloid plaques, two key contributors to Alzheimer's disease pathology. The technology has the potential to deliver therapeutic drugs directly to affected areas of the brain with reduced side effects.

SourceBuck Institute for Research on Aging·JournalJournal of Translational Medicine·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 10, 2025

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev researchers several steps closer to harnessing patient's own T-cells to fight off cancer

Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev have made a breakthrough in harnessing patient's own T-cells to fight off cancer by creating artificial surfaces mimicking natural immune cells. These surfaces, engineered with nanostructures, strengthen and prolong activation of T-cells, leading to more effective immunotherapy.

SourceBen-Gurion University of the Negev·JournalAdvanced Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 4, 2025

Sea change in cancer care requires urgent action to strengthen oncology workforce, care delivery

Rapid advances in cancer treatment have improved long-term survival rates, but current resources and models of care in Canada do not meet the changing needs of people with cancer. The authors propose solutions such as reducing unnecessary surveillance and establishing interdisciplinary specialty clinics.

SourceCanadian Medical Association Journal·JournalCanadian Medical Association Journal·TypeLiterature review·DateJun 2, 2025