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COVER STORY
immunosuppression that promotes growth of TNBC, decreases the effects of chemotherapy, and supports the spread of cancer cells throughout the breast and other organs. The Sims Mourtada lab
drug, currently FDA-approved for treatment of auto-immune diseases, blocks the interactions between B-cells and tumor cells and decreases growth
of TNBC. As this drug is already used clinically in other diseases with very
few side effects, rapid translation as
a breast cancer therapy is possible. However, further testing is warranted to determine the effects of this drug on the immune response to breast cancer, and
combined with chemotherapy.
Ovarian Cancer Research
of cancer-related deaths in women age 35 to 74 years.1 More than 22,000 women will be newly diagnosed with the disease this year.1 in its early state, ovarian cancer is usually diagnosed after it has advanced. At the Helen F. Graham Cancer
Center, a translational cancer research program in ovarian cancer is under the expert guidance of three gynecologic oncologists, Drs. Mark Borowsky, Mark Cadungog, and Stephanie Jean. Their work is focused on advancing research in ways to stimulate the body’s own
Previous funding from the Delaware Ovarian Foundation has allowed the team to jump-start the program by creating a biorepository of diverse tissue samples for basic – bench – research. This tissue bank of ovarian tissues and blood, collected from HFGCCRI patients, allows this research team to study certain types of ovarian cancers and see how they respond differently to different treatments. Through tumor molecular
researchers can identify and understand different mutations, leading to new treatment options.
In addition, the HFGCCRI gynecologic oncologists are collaborating with a Wistar Institute research team at Wistar’s Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program, focusing on new plasma and tissue biomarkers of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), which would improve early diagnosis and post-diagnosis clinical management.
Colorectal Cancer Stem Cell Research
During his tenure at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center, Bruce Boman, MD, PhD, Senior Research Scientist, has contributed to the unique properties of normal stem cells (SCs) and cancer stem cells (CSCs),
to the development of and the treatment for cancer.9,10 This research is forcing us to relook at conventional approaches to cancer treatment based on research from the last 50 years that suggests tumors undergo a series of genetic changes or mutations that allow for limitless growth of the tumors, which in turn leads to progression and metastases. However, conventional therapies designed to kill
these rapidly growing tumor cells often fail to cure cancer in patients.
evidence in oncology, effective agents will need to target and kill cancer stem cells, which are the cells that drive tumor growth. Dr. Boman’s long-term career goal is to identify CSC-based mechanisms that will lead to the development of
In combination with his biological research, Dr. Boman is also taking another innovative approach to solve the complex dynamic mechanisms of cancer growth. His research takes a quantitative approach by using mathematical modeling to identify weaknesses in CSCs that
biological research. Consequently, he has been involved in research that integrates biologic experiments with mathematical modeling to identify primary CSC-based mechanisms that drive cancer growth.
it is overpopulation of CSCs that drives tumor development. Dr. Boman and his team helped to identify how normal SCs become mutated and overpopulated, which drives the growth and metastases of malignancies. CSCs are few in number but live long-term in tumors. Because CSCs remain in tumor tissues long-term and repeat the process of dividing into
Based on a growing body of scientific evidence in oncology, effective agents will need to target and kill cancer stem cells, which are the cells that drive tumor growth. Dr. Boman’s long-term career goal is to identify CSC-based mechanisms that will lead to the development of new efficacious treatments for cancer.
Del Med J | March/April 2021 | Vol. 93 | No. 2 63
