Early successes for potential colorectal cancer vaccine
Colorectal cancer is the most common solid organ cancer in men and women. This research, using a mouse colorectal cancer model shows that vaccination with whole tumor cells that have been grown in the laboratory give significant protection from a challenge. Importantly, this technique is only beneficial in the initial development of the cancer. Once the cancer is established the tumors generate an immunosuppressive environment that prevents the anti-tumor response to the vaccine. In this model the early benefit of vaccination and the escape when a tumor is established can both be studied to give insights into future clinical uses. Read paper.
Two gene loci identified that contribute to the risk of colorectal cancer
Two gene loci for susceptibility to colorectal cancer have been identified by researchers at the University of Melbourne. Colorectal cancer follows a polygenic model, where each individual gene difference exerts a small effect but combines to produce much larger risks in carriers with multiple differences. Each gene region detected refines and focuses the clinical guidelines for effective surveillance of persons at risk for this cancer. Huge collaborative efforts are needed to identify gene regions or loci which show susceptibility to different cancer types, so the researchers have made the data from this genome-wide study broadly available to maximise the outcome from combined studies. Read paper.
Combination therapy may be a more effective treatment for people with brain tumours
The underlying principle of many approaches to cancer treatment is that combination therapy can be more selective and effective than single-agent therapies. Glioma cells taken from patients were found to be resistant to TRAIL agents alone. TRAIL agents, short for TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand, induce a cancer cell to self-destruct when they bind to receptors on the cancer cell’s surface. This has led researchers to investigate the multiple cell pathways that could be targeted for therapy. The TRAIL pathway is one under investigation, as its activation kills tumor cells but does not kill normal cells. Gliomas are a brain tumor for which effective treatment is urgently required. Glioma patients could benefit from a combination of TRAIL and chemotherapeutic drugs. Read paper.