Lung cancer is one of the most deadly types of cancers in the United States as well as around the world. As most of the therapies have been ineffective, this leaves patients with very few options. New treatment therapies and strategies have progressed from laboratory experiments to clinical trials in last few years. Columbia Engineering researchers have developed a preclinical evaluation pipeline for characterization of bacterial therapies in lung cancer models.
This new study by Columbia Engineering researchers has been published in Scientific Reports which combines bacterial therapies with other treatment modalities with the purpose of improving treatment efficacy. Dhruba Deb, an associate research scientist who studies the effect of bacterial toxins on lung cancer in Professor Tal Danino’s lab in Biomedical Engineering, said, “We envision a fast and selective expansion of our pipeline to improve treatment efficacy and safety for solid tumors.” “As someone who has lost loved ones to cancer, I would like to see this strategy move from the bench to bedside in the future,” he added. The team of researchers has used RNA sequencing to discover how cancer cells were responding to bacteria at cellular and molecular levels. They blocked the pathways with current cancer drugs and showed that by combining drugs with bacterial toxins is more effective in eliminating lung cancer cells. They have validated the combination of bacteria therapy with an AKT-inhibitor as an example in mouse models of lung cancer.
Their team has planned to expand their strategy to larger studies in preclinical models in treating lung cancers. They will also collaborate with clinicians for advanced treatment plans.
The information shared in this blog is for educational purposes only. You should always consult your healthcare practitioner for any medical needs.
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