Our Discoveries

Epigenetic marker contributes to PARP inhibitor resistance

CCR scientists have discovered a way cancer cells can become resistant to PARP inhibitors, targeted therapies that are used to treat some ovarian, breast and prostate cancers.

New synthetic compounds alter RNA expression in bacteria

Researchers have succeeded in developing a number of different compounds that bind to ZTP riboswitches, which regulate RNA, in bacteria. Their approach could one day be used to create a new class of antibacterial drug.

Trial shows aggressive cancer treatment is appropriate for people with HIV-associated primary central nervous system lymphoma

New research from CCR scientists shows that chemoimmunotherapy with antiretroviral therapy can lead to long-lasting remissions of HIV-associated primary central nervous system lymphoma without compromising neurocognitive function.

Study finds drug beneficial for shrinking mesothelioma tumors

A drug that is designed to boost the immune system against mesothelioma, when combined with immunotherapy, was found to be beneficial in a small study involving ten patients. The results suggest that the drug LMB-100 could prolong the life of some patients with advanced disease.

New chemical sequencing reaction helps unravel the role of an ancient RNA modification

CCR researchers and collaborators have developed a novel chemical reaction that enables the quantitative mapping of an ancient and enigmatic RNA modification that is found in nearly all organisms on earth, providing fundamental insights that are potentially important for tumor biology and cancer treatment.

CCR scientists develop new blood test that may improve liver cancer screening

Scientists led by Xin Wei Wang, Ph.D., Deputy Chief of the Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, have developed a new test that can identify people who are likely to develop hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of liver cancer. The approach uses a simple blood test to check for the patient’s previous exposure to certain viruses. “Together with existing screening tests, the new test could play an important role in screening people who are at risk for developing HCC. It could help doctors find and treat HCC early. The method is relatively simple and inexpensive, and it only requires a small amount of blood,” he says.

New genetic analysis will help researchers understand how diffuse large B-cell lymphoma subtypes respond to experimental therapies

By looking for about 100 potential genetic abnormalities in the DNA of certain lymphomas, researchers can now assign individual cases of DLBCL to one of seven subtypes. The new classification system will better equip researchers to recognize the impact of experimental therapies on subsets of patients whose cancers share key clinical and biological features.

Mouse models and patient data suggest potential biomarker for immunotherapy response in melanoma

Immune checkpoint inhibitors are an effective treatment for about a third of patients with metastatic melanoma. Now, mouse models and patient data suggest these cancers are more likely to respond to immunotherapy if their cells resemble fully developed melanocytes rather than less mature precursor cells.

CCR researchers show testing with combined biopsy method improves prostate cancer diagnosis

A method of testing for prostate cancer developed at the Center for Cancer Research leads to more accurate diagnosis and prediction of the course of the disease, according to a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Peter Pinto, M.D., Investigator in the Urologic Oncology Branch, led the study and says this method, which combines systematic biopsy, the current primary diagnostic approach, with MRI-targeted biopsy, is poised to greatly improve prostate cancer diagnosis, thereby reducing the risk of both overtreatment and undertreatment of the disease. To see all open prostate cancer trials, click here.

A new set of genes linked to metastasis in melanoma

CCR researchers have found that melanoma can reactivate gene expression patterns that are usually active in melanoblasts, facilitating their progression to metastatic behavior. These newly discovered melanoblast genes have the potential to provide a new source of pathways that could be tapped to develop new treatments for melanoma.

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