The United States has certainly come a long way in the last few decades in its ability to successfully treat cancer. Yet still, so many people have died from the disease, creating a growing frustration over the lack of treatment options. Many standard of care protocols have been the same for over 30 years, with […]
Continue readingA recent report in the journal Cell showed that a team led by Vanderbilt researchers has found a new “checkpoint” protein on immune system cells in active, malignant tumors. In mouse models, blocking this protein, along with using other treatments, has been an effective approach to treating cancerous cells. Checkpoint proteins are an important component of […]
Continue readingA recent study published in Nature Genetics called “Tumor mutational load predicts survival after immunotherapy across multiple cancer types” revealed that tumors with more mutations had better results with immunotherapy treatment. The study looked at data from 1,662 metastatic cancer patients who received checkpoint inhibitor therapy, and data from over 5,000 patients who were not treated […]
Continue readingA research team from the University of Maryland is utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to determine the most effective ways to treat cancer patients with immunotherapy. Immunotherapy takes advantage of the body’s own immune system to fight off cancer, and in the past decade, it has been very successful in treating patients with localized and advanced […]
Continue readingThe way we understand cancer treatment in the U.S. is changing. This year’s Nobel prizes in medicine honored new scientific breakthroughs that suggest we may be close to finding a cure for cancer. One of the Nobel-prize winners, Dr. James P. Allison, has made great strides in advancing cancer immunotherapy. Immunotherapy is a treatment […]
Continue readingJAK Mutations are genetic abnormalities that affect the production of red blood cells. They are often found in individuals with polycythemia vera, as well as a number of other myeloproliferative neoplasms. The anti-PD-1 agent, Keytruda (pembrolizumab) was approved in 2014 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of advanced melanoma. Since then, it has received […]
Continue readingNatural killer T-cells, or NKT Cells, are a secondary type of T-cell that search the body for stressed and abnormal cells, playing significant regulatory roles in numerous immune responses, including anti-tumor responses. These cells can attack cancer cells directly or through the recruitment and activation of other immune cells. The immune responses of NKT cells are initiated through […]
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