This roundup highlights two innovative clinical trials for promising cancer treatments, a potential liquid biopsy for gastric cancer, new insights into how to boost immune system recovery after stem cell transplant and data that shows how living in a segregated neighborhood can increase lung cancer risk for Black Americans.
To learn more about research at City of Hope, one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States with its National Medical Center ranked among the nation’s top cancer centers by U.S. News & World Report, subscribe to City of Hope Research Spotlight.
New Clinical Trial Tests Nonsurgical Treatment Strategy for Rectal Cancer
City of Hope has opened a Phase 2 clinical trial that aims to improve outcomes for patients with rectal cancer while reducing the need for potentially life-altering surgery and the side effects of radiation therapy.
The trial will test a combination of chemotherapy drugs fluorouracil, oxaliplatin and leucovorin calcium (FOLFOX) with immunotherapy drugs botensilimab and balstilimab (BB). The combination therapy will be given to patients with rectal adenocarcinoma that has not spread to other parts of the body and who have not undergone surgery.
Currently, patients with this type of rectal cancer are treated first with aggressive chemotherapy and then radiation. However, even with this initial treatment, half of all patients still need surgery to remove their cancer. This procedure can leave them with long-term urine and bowel complications.
The study will give us insights into whether this chemotherapy plus immunotherapy combination, FOLFOX-BB, will lead to cures and spare patients from the need for radiation therapy and surgery.
City of Hope medical oncologist Marwan G. Fakih, M.D., is principal investigator on the trial. Learn more here.
City of Hope Launches Novel Drug Trial for Glioblastoma
A Phase 1 clinical trial seeks to find new treatment options for patients with recurrent glioblastoma or astrocytoma — two forms of brain cancer that are extremely challenging to cure.
The City of Hope trial will study the use of oral triapine, a novel cancer drug, in combination with radiation therapy in patients whose cancer has returned after previous treatment.
Triapine is a ribonucleotide reductase inhibitor, a type of drug that fights cancer by blocking the genetic process involved in forming tumor cells. It is currently being tested against a number of other cancers, including pancreatic and cervical cancer.
The primary goal of the new trial will be documenting the drug’s safety and side effects, as well as determining the maximum dose that patients can tolerate. However, researchers will also monitor patients for any signs of tumor response or symptom relief.
The long-term hope is that combining triapine with radiation could shrink tumors more than radiation alone, leading to longer survival and better quality of life for patients with glioblastoma and astrocytoma.
City of Hope radiation oncologist Stephanie Yoon, M.D., is principal investigator on this National Cancer Institute-funded trial. Learn more here.
Liquid Biopsy Shows Promise for Early Gastric Cancer Detection
One reason for gastric cancer’s high mortality rate is that it’s often not caught early enough for treatment to be effective. Now a new study led by City of Hope scientists shows how a liquid biopsy could be used for early detection of the disease.
Researchers showed that tiny pieces of genetic material called miRNA found in exosomes, a type of particle released by cells, could be used as a biomarker to detect gastric cancer from a simple blood test.
Led by Ajay Goel, Ph.D., chair of City of Hope’s Department of Molecular Diagnostics and Experimental Therapeutics, City of Hope researchers collaborated with hospitals in Japan and South Korea — countries with high gastric cancer rates — to study blood and tissue samples from more than 800 patients.
They used machine learning to identify a 10-miRNA signature that would identify gastric cancer. The test City of Hope developed*, called DESTINEX, was able to detect early-stage gastric cancer with 95% accuracy.
A liquid biopsy could expand access to screening, enabling early disease detection and potentially save lives. While some countries with high gastric cancer rates currently use endoscopy to screen for gastric cancer, this approach is invasive, expensive and not practical for regions where gastric cancer is less common.
To learn more, read the paper in JAMA Surgery.
* Cizzle Bio licensed this technology invented by Dr. Ajay Goel at City of Hope. City of Hope and Dr. Goel are entitled to revenue from the license. Dr. Goel has equity interest in this technology.
Boosting Immunity After Cancer Treatment: Researchers Spotlight Special Stem Cells
A new study shows that a type of stem cell known as Kitlo hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) helps enhance T cell recovery, strengthening the immune system after allogenic hematopoietic cell transplantation, a therapy used to treat patients with certain leukemias and lymphomas.
The study, a collaboration between City of Hope and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center researchers, focused on better understanding the role of Kitlo HSC in immune recovery. These cells can produce different types of blood and immune cells, but it wasn’t clear how good they were at generating more T cells, which are especially important for fighting diseases.
In mice, co-senior author Marcel van den Brink, M.D., Ph.D., City of Hope chief physician executive, and colleagues found that Kitlo HSC helped the thymus, an organ that produces T cells, recover after a transplant. This led to stronger T cell production and better immune response to infection. This was especially notable in older mice, where Kitlo HSC helped overcome age-related declines in thymus function.
Researchers also studied how this works on a molecular level. They found that genes driving immune cell development, including a gene called ZBTB1, played a key role in Kitlo HSC’s T cell making abilities.
The takeaway: Kitlo HSC could be a promising target for helping the immune system recover after treatment, especially for older patients.
To learn more, read the study in Nature Communications.
Study Links Housing Segregation to Higher Lung Cancer Risk Among Black Americans
Black Americans develop lung cancer earlier than their white counterparts and are more likely to die from the disease. Now a large new study by City of Hope researchers shows that housing segregation plays a role in these disparities.
While previous research linked residential segregation to lung cancer survival and care, this is the first study to show that segregation also plays a role in the development of lung cancer itself.
Researchers used data from the Southern Community Cohort Study that includes more than 71,000 individuals between 2002 and 2009. They found that Black participants who lived in less racially segregated areas were less likely to develop lung cancer. Mentholated cigarette use and exposure to air pollution were two major factors that contributed to this increased risk. Researchers noted that tobacco companies disproportionately target mentholated cigarette advertising and sales to majority Black communities.
These findings could help guide policies to address residential segregation. The data could also be used to address risk factors in neighborhoods that are already segregated.
Loretta Erhunmwunsee, M.D., City of Hope associate professor of surgery and Chief Health Access and Community Enrichment Officer, was principal investigator for the study.
For more information, see the paper in JAMA Network Open.
Awards and Honors
Rama Natarajan, Ph.D., professor and chair in City of Hope’s Department of Diabetes Complications & Metabolism, and Joyce Niland, Ph.D., chair and professor in City of Hope’s Department of Diabetes & Cancer Discovery Science, were selected as 2025 WIELD Trailblazers. The award recognizes leaders who have had a critical impact on research and/or care in the fields of diabetes, obesity and metabolism.
Research Funding
Michael Caligiuri, M.D., received a $6.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute for a project entitled “Human Natural Killer Cells: Advancing Biology and Clinical Applications.”
Yingfeng Deng, Ph.D., received a $4.1 million grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases for a project entitled “Role of UPR Transducer XBP1 in Pancreatic Beta Cell Survival and Function Under Metabolic Stress.”
Shoubao Ma, Ph.D., received a $3.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for a project entitled “Role of RNA Modification in Innate Immune Cell Development and Function.”
Sangeeta Dhawan, Ph.D., received a $3.1 million grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases for a project entitled “Epigenetic Regulation of Genomic Stability in Beta Cell Homeostasis.”
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About City of Hope
City of Hope's mission is to make hope a reality for all touched by cancer and diabetes. Founded in 1913, City of Hope has grown into one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States, and one of the leading research centers for diabetes and other life-threatening illnesses. City of Hope research has been the basis for numerous breakthrough cancer medicines, as well as human synthetic insulin and monoclonal antibodies. With an independent, National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center that is ranked among the nation’s top cancer centers by U.S. News & World Report at its core, City of Hope’s uniquely integrated model spans cancer care, research and development, academics and training, and a broad philanthropy program that powers its work. City of Hope’s growing national system includes its Los Angeles campus, a network of clinical care locations across Southern California, a new cancer center in Orange County, California, and cancer treatment centers and outpatient facilities in the Atlanta, Chicago and Phoenix areas. City of Hope’s affiliated group of organizations includes Translational Genomics Research Institute and AccessHopeTM. For more information about City of Hope, follow us on Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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