Advanced gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC) often metastasizes in the peritoneal cavity, and peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) treatments are mostly ineffective. Understanding the molecular signaling pathways that affect immune response in the tumor microenvironment could help improve therapeutic strategies. SOX9, a highly expressed gene in GAC and PC, is a known downstream target of oncogenic signaling pathways, but its influence on the immune system has been poorly understood. Researchers led by Shumei Song, M.D., Ph.D., used bulk RNA sequencing as well...

Current colorectal cancer (CRC) guidelines recommend surveillance colonoscopies at one year and 48 months after surgical resection, but these guidelines do not account for age at diagnosis. As the incidence of young-onset (diagnosed at or before age 50) CRC has risen worldwide, researchers have hypothesized that patients with spontaneous (non-hereditary) young-onset CRC could have an elevated risk for multiple, independent malignancies, known as metachronous colorectal pathology. This retrospective, single-institution study, led by Oliver Peacock, B.M.B.S.,...

In a study, researchers at The University of Texas Medical Branch and collaborative institutions suggest an mRNA vaccine approach that can provide broad protection against existing and future COVID-19 variants.   Emergence of highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variants has posed constant challenges to the current COVID-19 vaccines. But by developing a vaccine that targets two viral proteins rather than one, scientists at UTMB may have found a way to combat the variants.   “Our data showed that dual spike...