Researchers found that, in preclinical models of colorectal cancer, tumors can start damaging peripheral nerves before chemotherapy begins. These findings suggest tumor-related inflammation and changes to fat metabolism could damage the protective coating around nerves, disrupting signals and potentially making them more vulnerable to treatment-induced peripheral neuropathy, or nerve damage. The study, led by Andrew Shepherd, Ph.D., associate professor of Translational Neuroscience, challenges the conventional thought that peripheral neuropathy in patients with colorectal cancer is due mostly to chemotherapy treatment. “These...

Adults who have survived Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) for at least five years face significantly elevated long-term health risks. The researchers analyzed data from 2000 to 2017, including more than 20,000 adult HL survivors with an average age of 36. They discovered 2,899 deaths among survivors, while just 1,481 deaths would have been expected in the general population. While the majority were related to cancer, non-cancer conditions also were increased in these patients. The retrospective population-based was led...

Researchers found new evidence that BRAF, a protein commonly involved in cancer, plays a key role in developing, amplifying and maintaining chronic pain caused by nerve damage. Using BRAF inhibitors reduced pain sensitivity in preclinical models, suggesting the therapeutic potential of this approach for treating chronic nerve pain. The study was co-led by Shao-Rui Chen, M.D., professor of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, and Hui-Lin Pan, M.D., Ph.D., endowed chair of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine. Views: 219

A new study has shown that inflammatory arthritis occurring as a side effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors behaves like an immune-memory disease, suggesting that certain immune cell populations could serve as potential biomarkers for targeted therapies. The study was co-led by Roza I. Nurieva, Ph.D., professor of Immunology, Synat Keam, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow in the Nurieva Laboratory, and Yuanteng Jeff Li, M.D., assistant professor of General Internal Medicine, along with Sang Taek Kim, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor from Yale University. The...

Researchers uncovered insights that may help explain how rapid-acting antidepressants, such as ketamine and psychedelics, can reduce symptoms in difficult-to-treat depression. The findings may also help identify patients who are most likely to benefit from these treatments.   The study, co-led by Gregory Jones, M.D., assistant professor of Psychiatry, showed that these therapies work by changing communication signals between the immune system and the brain, suggesting that they share certain neuroimmune pathways, even though they act...

Researchers have discovered a promising strategy to overcome PARP inhibitor resistance in ovarian cancer, one of the most common barriers to the long-term effectiveness of this widely used treatment. Targeting a signaling pathway activated by the acidic tumor microenvironment restored sensitivity to PARP inhibitors in preclinical models, suggesting a potential new therapeutic strategy for overcoming acquired resistance. The study was led by Rugang Zhang, Ph.D., professor and chair of Experimental Therapeutics, and Kaixin Cheng, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow in the Rugang Zhang Laboratory.  ...

Researchers discovered that immunosuppressed patients with non-melanoma skin cancer are not missing the key cancer-fighting immune cells found in immunocompetent patients, but those cells – known as macrophages – have lost the ability to communicate effectively. This new understanding may help researchers develop new treatment approaches for these aggressive skin cancers. The study was co-led by Moran Amit, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of Head and Neck Surgery; Kunal Rai, Ph.D., professor of Genomic Medicine; Frederico Gleber-Netto, D.D.S., Ph.D., assistant professor of Head...

The composition of donor cord blood may play a critical role in the success of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) natural killer (NK) cell therapies. A small population of immature NK cells present in donor cord blood can undermine the activity of CAR NK cell therapy by redirecting potent immune cells away from tumors and causing them to attack one another. The study, led by first and co-corresponding author Ye Ethan Li, M.D., Ph.D., identifies a previously...

Biomarkers including circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) clearance and molecular residual disease (MRD) status may help identify which patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) get the greatest benefit from immunotherapy given before and after surgery (perioperative). The study analyzed biomarkers and clinical outcome data from the Phase 3 CheckMate 77T trial, which previously demonstrated improved outcomes with perioperative immunotherapy. The researchers found that the best indicators of a positive outcome were ctDNA clearance before surgery and achieving a pathologic...