A study at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center identified a new therapeutic target in cancer cells and explains how new anti-cancer drugs called imipridones work by inducing cancer cell death in blood cancers, such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and mantle cell lymphoma.
An open-label, multi-cohort Phase II trial, led by investigators at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, reports that treatment with the drug tagraxofusp resulted in high response rates in patients with blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN), a rare but highly aggressive – and often fatal bone marrow and blood disorder – for which there are no existing approved therapies.
Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered that triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells can develop resistance to frontline, or neoadjuvant, chemotherapy not by acquiring permanent adaptations, but rather transiently turning on molecular pathways that protect the cells.
A study at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center revealed the investigational drug umbralisib as an effective treatment for patients with relapsed marginal zone lymphoma (MZL). Findings from the Phase II trial were presented by study co-lead Nathan Fowler, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Lymphoma & Myeloma, at the AACR Annual Meeting 2019 in Atlanta.
Cancer cells demand enormous amounts of molecular “food” to survive and grow, and a study published March 27 online in Nature by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center may have identified a new approach to starve the cells of one of the most common and deadly cancers, pancreatic cancer.
White blood cells known as B cells have been shown to be effective for predicting which cancer patients will respond to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy, according to a study at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Study results will be presented April 2 at the AACR Annual Meeting 2019 in Atlanta.
Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center revealed the common oncogene KRAS as a possible explanation for why many patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) do not respond to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy.
MD Anderson and the American Lung Association have partnered on educational initiatives to improve coverage for recommended lung cancer screening in state Medicaid programs.
A cellular identity switch protects a cancer-promoting genetic pathway from targeted therapy, researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center today reported in Science Translational Medicine.
Working in cell lines and mouse models of lung cancer, a team led by Don Gibbons, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, demonstrated how the KRAS-driven lung cancer cells defeat treatment by switching from stable, stationary cells into a type of mobile, resistant cell associated with embryonic development. They also found a drug combination that reversed that cellular transition and restored vulnerability to targeted therapy.
A multi-center study led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center revealed that a liquid biopsy test called Guardant360®, is comparable to standard tissue biopsies in detection of guideline recommended biomarkers in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), has a faster turn-around time, and has the potential to support identification of more patients who can be treated with targeted therapy.
MD Anderson received nearly $20 million from CPRIT for research, recruitment and prevention. The awards represented 20 percent of the $96 million CPRIT awarded this time. Since its inception, CPRIT has awarded $ 447.6 million to MD Anderson.
Melanoma tumors that have spread to the brain are equipped to thwart immunotherapies and targeted therapies that succeed against tumors growing in other sites. Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center report in Cancer Discovery that the heavy reliance of these tumors on a specific metabolic pathway presents a potentially new therapeutic against these lethal tumors.
Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered that a combination of immune checkpoint blockade and targeted therapies that block normal DNA damage repair (DDR) achieved significant tumor regression in mouse models of small cell lung cancer (SCLC), suggesting a promising new approach for treating patients with this aggressive cancer.
Some patients with metastatic prostate cancer respond to a combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors after hormonal therapy and chemotherapy have failed, according to early results from a clinical trial led by investigators at MD Anderson
Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered that malignant rhabdoid tumors (MRT), a rare pediatric cancer without effective treatments, may be sensitive to drugs that block the cancer cell’s ability to dispose of misfolded proteins. The findings provide a much-needed therapeutic target for these and other cancers caused by mutations in the SMARCB1 gene.
As an institution devoted to eliminating cancer for patients in Texas, the nation and around the world, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is proud to uphold the mission of World Cancer Day, Feb.4, to unite the global population toward the goal of eradicating the disease.
Glioblastoma (GBM) does not attract robust T cell immune responses. FGL2 is highly expressed in GBM and when present in tumor cells, controls a specialized group of dendritic cells which activates T cells.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Dragonfly Therapeutics, Inc., today announced a strategic collaboration to bring Dragonfly’s TriNKET™ (tri-specific natural killer cell engager therapy) immunotherapy drug candidates to patients in clinical trials beginning in 2019.
Complication rates following invasive diagnostic procedures for lung abnormalities were twice as high in community settings compared to those reporter in lung screening trials, according to an MD Anderson study.
MD Anderson researchers have identified a new potential immunotherapy target in pancreatic cancer, which so far has been notoriously resistant to treatment with immune checkpoint blockade drugs effective against a variety of other cancers.
Rather than classifying based solely on HPV status, MD Anderson researchers have discovered a new biomarker for head and neck cancers that may enable clinicians to better predict patient outcomes and lower treatment intensity to reduce side effects.
John Mendelsohn, M.D., president emeritus of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and an internationally acclaimed leader in the field of medicine and scientist whose research helped pioneer a new type of cancer therapy, died Jan. 7 at his home in Houston. He was 82. The cause of death was glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer with which he was diagnosed 15 months ago.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Nanobiotix today announced a large-scale, comprehensive clinical research collaboration to evaluate innovative strategies for treating patients with head and neck, pancreatic, thoracic, lung, gastrointestinal and genitourinary cancers, with the first trials to be launched in 2019.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Ascentage Pharma Group, Inc. today announced a five-year strategic collaboration agreement to advance the development of five potential new cancer therapies.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and 4D pharma today announced a strategic collaboration to evaluate 4D’s live biotherapeutic oncology pipeline across a range of cancer settings.
Waun Ki Hong, M.D., a trail-blazing physician-scientist and mentor whose clinical research innovations led to successful organ-sparing cancer treatment, advanced the field of targeted therapy and launched chemoprevention, died Wednesday at his home in California.
Hong, 76, retired from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center as head of the Division of Cancer Medicine in 2014. He remained as a special advisor to a variety of MD Anderson programs that nurtured the careers of young scientists.
Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have identified a link between an enzyme tied to cancer formation and therapy resistance in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
A follow-up analysis of patients enrolled in a Phase I/II multi-center trial for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) reported 51 percent of patients receiving an anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR T) called axi-cel were still alive two years post-treatment. The study, co-led by Sattva Neelapu, M.D., professor of Lymphoma & Myeloma at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, reported its findings in the Dec. 2 online issue of The Lancet Oncology and during a presentation at the 60th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting & Exposition in San Diego.
Two leaders in the field of melanoma treatment – a surgeon and an oncologist – from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have been named Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
Research on a new way of deploying the immune system against pancreatic cancer, an exceptionally lethal cancer that has so far resisted new immunotherapies, will receive $1 million in initial funding from Stand Up to Cancer.
The project led by researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Baylor College of Medicine will collect T cells – the immune system’s targeted warriors -- from tumors, expand their number by the billions and then customize them to resist being shut down by a common substance that’s abundantly produced in tumor tissue
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center applauds new actions announced today by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to limit the sale of most flavored electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) to age-restricted locations and require age-verification for online sales to lower the use of these products in children. In addition, the FDA plans to restrict the marketing of these products toward youth.
A Phase I/II study, led by investigators at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, reports an investigational drug called tagraxofusp has demonstrated high response rates in patients with blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN), a rare but highly aggressive – and often fatal bone marrow and blood disorder – for which there are no existing approved therapies.
A triple therapy combining two immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPIs) with the standard-of-care chemotherapy, a hypomethylating agent called azacitidine, has shown promising results for treatment of relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML), according to findings from a Phase II study at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
For the first time, transplanting gut bacteria from healthy donors was used to successfully treat patients suffering from severe colitis caused by treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors. The study from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, which includes two patients, suggests fecal microbiota transplantation is worth investigating in clinical trials as a therapy for this common side effect of immunotherapy.
A combination of the standard-of-care chemotherapy drug known as azacitidine, with nivolumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, demonstrated an encouraging response rate and overall survival in patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) according to findings from a Phase II study at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
When comparing standard-of-care surgical options for women with early-stage cervical cancer, two studies led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center discovered that minimally invasive radical hysterectomy is associated with higher recurrence rates and worse overall survival (OS), compared to abdominal radical hysterectomy.
Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered that a form of RNA called metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) appears to suppress breast cancer metastasis in mice, suggesting a potential new area of therapeutic investigation. The findings, published in the Oct. 22 online issue of Nature Genetics, were surprising given that MALAT1, a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), previously was described as a metastasis promoter.
Radiation or surgical removal of metastatic tumors provides a major survival advantage for lung cancer patients with minimal stage 4 disease who have not progressed after frontline chemotherapy, a study led by researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center shows.
An emerging treatment known as adoptive T-cell therapy has proven effective in a Phase II clinical trial for treating progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a rare and often fatal brain infection sometimes observed in patients with cancer and other diseases in which the immune system is compromised.
The study, led by Katy Rezvani, M.D., Ph.D., professor, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, showed marked improvement in three PML patients infused with donor T cells targeting the BK virus. Findings were published in the Oct. 11 online issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
The phase II study was led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Results of the study, the first randomized neoadjuvant clinical trial of immune checkpoint blockade for melanoma patients, are reported in Nature Medicine.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals, Inc., today announced a three-year strategic alliance agreement that will enable clinical evaluation for safety and efficacy of three Cyclacel medicines in patients with hematological malignancies, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and other advanced leukemias.
A tumor-specific vaccine combined with an immune checkpoint inhibitor shrank tumors in one third of patients with incurable cancer related to the human papilloma virus (HPV) in a phase II clinical trial led by investigators at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and reported in JAMA Oncology.
A drug revived by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center continues to provide unprecedented response rates among stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer patients with genetic mutations that have previously defied treatment.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center today joined with more than 450 communities and institutions across the country in hosting a Biden Cancer Community Summit, organized under the charge of the Biden Cancer Initiative. The Summit aims to encourage an ongoing dialogue about opportunities to make significant advances in cancer research, prevention, diagnosis and care.
Padmanee Sharma, M.D., Ph.D., professor of Genitourinary Medical Oncology and Immunology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, has been recognized for her innovative work understanding factors that enhance and hinder cancer immunotherapy. Sharma will receive the William B. Coley Award for Distinguished Research in Tumor Immunology, awarded annually by the Cancer Research Institute (CRI), at an annual meeting co-sponsored by CRI in New York Sept. 30 to Oct. 3.
Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have shown how BRCA-associated protein 1 (BAP1) serves as a tumor suppressor gene in kidney, eye, bile duct, mesothelioma and other cancers by regulating a form of cell death called ferroptosis, opening up a potential new area of therapy research. Findings from the study, led by Boyi Gan, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, were published in the Sept. 10 online issue of Nature Cell Biology.
Combination immunotherapy shrank melanoma that has spread to the brain in more than half of the patients in a clinical trial reported in the New England Journal of Medicine led by an investigator at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
In a randomized, Phase III trial led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, the PARP inhibitor talazoparib extended progression-free survival (PFS) and improved quality-of-life measures over available chemotherapies for patients with metastatic HER2-negative breast cancer and mutations in the BRCA1/2 genes.