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July-September 2024: Published research at Massey
Oct 17, 2024
As one of just two NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in Virginia, VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center is at the forefront of the nation’s cancer research efforts.
As Massey celebrates 50 years of fueling innovation in cancer research, scientists at the center continue to conduct cutting-edge, laboratory-based basic, population, and clinical and translational-focused research to advance improved approaches to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer. Continue reading to learn more about publications from Massey researchers in July, August and September 2024.
PUBLISHED RESEARCH
Living in disadvantaged neighborhoods influences stress-related genes, may contribute to prostate cancer in African American men
Massey research member: David Wheeler, Ph.D.
Journal: JAMA Network Open
Publication date: July 12, 2024
A recent study — co-led by scientists at Massey and the University of Maryland School of Medicine — found that people living in disadvantaged neighborhoods have significantly higher activity of stress-related genes, which could contribute to higher rates of aggressive prostate cancer in African American men. This observational study, which analyzed 105 stress-related genes from more than 200 men with prostate cancer, is among the first to suggest a possible link between neighborhood socioeconomic factors and RNA expression in prostate tumors.
VCU collaborator: Joseph Boyle, Ph.D.
Engineers develop device that employs fluids to help answer questions about cancer development
Massey research member: Priscilla Hwang, Ph.D.
Journal: ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering
Publication date: July 15, 2024
Environmental forces guiding fiber alignment within cells plays a key role in the development of various tissues in the body, and the ability to study the effect of these stimuli in the laboratory has been limited. Through a new study, scientists developed a device that uses fluids to generate aligned fibers, allowing for the modeling of complex tissues and the ability to differentiate cell response to different stimuli. This device serves as a launch point for future research using these devices to answer questions about the development of complex diseases, including cancers.
VCU collaborators: Jessanne Lichtenberg, M.S., Corinne Leonard, Valentina Santos and Hazel Sterling
Chemotherapy linked to greater fatigue than hormone therapy in breast cancer
Massey research members: Greg Hundley, M.D., and Mary Helen Hackney, M.D.
Journal: Supportive Care in Cancer
Publication date: July 19, 2024
A study partly led by Massey and the Pauley Heart Center found that women with breast cancer who receive chemotherapy experience similar levels of fatigue within the first year of treatment and greater fatigue than women receiving aromatase inhibitors alone or women without breast cancer.
VCU collaborator: Amy Ladd, Ph.D.
Oncology guidelines lack direction for management of high blood sugar in patients undergoing chemotherapy
Massey research members: Teresa Salgado, Ph.D., and Vanessa B. Sheppard, Ph.D.
Journal: Supportive Care in Cancer
Publication date: Aug. 1, 2024
The U.S. and the European oncology guidelines do not include details for the appropriate management of hyperglycemia — high blood sugar — in cancer patients. A recent study set out to identify blood sugar thresholds and hemoglobin levels used in clinical practice in patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy. The findings suggest that a lack of clear guidance for the management of high blood sugar during chemotherapy in the U.S. may be contributing to a lack of consistency in clinical practice.
VCU collaborators: Poorva Birari, Dave Dixon, Pharm.D., Erin Hickey Zacholski, Pharm.D., and Trang Le, M.D.
More comprehensive support needed for brain cancer patients and their caregivers
Massey research member: Ashlee Loughan, M.Ed., Ph.D.
Journal: Supportive Care in Cancer
Publication date: Aug. 19, 2024
The diagnosis of a primary brain tumor causes significant distress for patients and their caregivers, warranting increased supportive care intervention. Findings from a recent study show that brain cancer patients expressed concerns regarding the demands of caregiving and its impact on the wellbeing of their loved ones. These results emphasize the need for comprehensive support in neuro-oncology to enhance the overall quality-of-life for both brain cancer patients and their caregivers.
VCU collaborators: Amber Fox, Christopher Kleva and Morgan Reid, Ph.D.
Targeted drug could be effective in HPV infections and cancers
Massey research member: Iain Morgan, Ph.D.
Journal: Journal of Virology
Publication date: Aug. 28, 2024
Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are causative agents in around 5% of all human cancers. Results from a new study suggest that targeting a specific type of enzymes using phosphatase inhibitors has therapeutic potential for the treatment of HPV infections and cancers, and, more specifically, HPV16-positive cancers that contain episomal genomes.
VCU collaborators: Claire James, Ph.D., Molly Bristol, Ph.D., Rachel Lewis, Renfeng Li, Ph.D., Raymonde Otoa, Apurva Prabhakar, Ph.D., Jenny Roe, Xu Wang, Austin Witt, Aya Youssef and Kun Zhang, Ph.D.
Nurturing trust between patients and providers is needed to reduce cancer care disparities
Massey research members: Vanessa B. Sheppard, Ph.D., and Robert A. Winn, M.D.
Journal: Clinical Breast Cancer
Publication date: Aug. 30, 2024
A recent study evaluated the relationships between patient and cancer delivery factors with trust in oncology providers in a diverse group of breast cancer patients. The study authors suggest that efforts are needed to nurture trusting relationships between Black women and their oncology providers to ultimately reduce cancer care disparities.
VCU collaborators: Dustin Bastaich, Megan Edmonds, Ph.D., M.P.H., Malik Philips, M.P.H., and Fariha Tariq, M.B.B.S., M.P.H.
Findings show promise for new targeted treatment in colorectal cancer
Massey research members: Jiong Li, Ph.D., and Yan Zhang, Ph.D.
Journal: RSC Medicinal Chemistry
Publication date: Sept. 13, 2024
Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed type of cancer and second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Findings from a recent study suggest a promising strategy to develop molecules that can effectively suppress oncogenic signaling to eliminate colorectal cancer stem cells, which may lead to new therapeutics for the eradication of the disease.
VCU collaborators: Shadid Zaman, Rosalie Hoyle, Hongguang Ma and Piyusha Pagare, Ph.D.
The innate immune system and TRAIL-BCL-XL axis mediate a sex bias in lung cancer and confer a therapeutic vulnerability in females
Massey research members: Joseph Landry, Ph.D., Dipankar Bandyopadhyay, Ph.D., Paula Bos, Ph.D., Anthony Faber, Ph.D., Jennifer Koblinski, Ph.D., Rebecca Martin, Ph.D., Alexander Neuwelt, M.D., and Shawn Wang, Ph.D.
Journal: Cancer Research
Publication date: Sept. 23, 2024
There is a significant gender bias in lung cancer, where males demonstrate increased mortality compared to females. A better scientific understanding of these differences could help identify therapeutic targets to personalize cancer therapies for each sex. This research suggests that navitoclax and TRAIL pathway agonists could be used as a personalized treatment to improve outcomes in women with lung cancer.
VCU collaborators: Lauren May, Ph.D., Ohud Alhawiti, M.S., Lillian Cai, Xiaoyan Deng, M.S., Bin Hu, Ph.D., Madison Isbell, M.S., Akash Jagdeesh, Preksha Jerajani and Raghavendra Pillappa, M.D.
Clonal evolution in 207 cases of refractory or relapsed acute myeloid leukemia
Massey research members: Keri Maher, D.O., Steven Grant, M.D., and Nolan Wages, Ph.D.
Journal: European Journal of Haemotology
Publication date: Sept. 24, 2024
Clonal evolution is a driving force behind the development and progression of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This study illustrates the role of clonal evolution in chemotherapy-resistant AML and establishes a basis for future studies investigating its prognostic and therapeutic impact in cancer.
VCU collaborators: Juhi Gor, M.D., Thuy Ho, M.D., and Kyle Zacholski, Pharm.D.
PUBLISHED REVIEWS
Systemic therapy landscape of advanced prostate cancer
Massey research member: Asit Paul, M.D.
Journal: Advances in Cancer Research
Publication date: July 18, 2024
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in American men and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Androgen deprivation therapy is the backbone of treatment for advanced prostate cancer. This clinical review discusses the changing treatment landscape for advanced prostate cancer with a focus on new therapeutics.
VCU collaborators: Samina Hirani, M.B.B.S., John Melson, M.D., and Selvaraj Muthusamy, M.B.B.S., Ph.D.
A new role for human papillomavirus 16 E2: Mitotic activation of the DNA damage response to promote viral genome segregation
Massey research members: Iain Morgan, Ph.D.
Journal: Tumour Virus Research
Publication date: Sept. 11, 2024
Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are causative agents in around 5% of all cancers, including cervical and oropharyngeal cancers. To identify and develop new targeted HPV therapeutics, there needs to be an enhanced understanding of the viral life cycle and how it interacts with the host. This review describes and discusses in detail the role of the E2 function in the life cycle of HPV.
VCU collaborator: Apurva Prabhakar, M.S., Ph.D.
Precision medicine focus on the central nervous system: Non-invasive therapeutic agent delivery with focused ultrasound and microbubbles
Massey research members: Paul Fisher, Ph.D., and Swadesh Das, Ph.D.
Journal: Advances in Cancer Research
Publication date: Sept. 19, 2024
This review discusses how focused ultrasound combined with microbubble treatment is a promising strategy capable of accurately delivering molecular medicines and gene therapy to treat various disease states. Additionally, combination therapies that utilize focused ultrasound and microbubbles also provide synergistic responses in cancer therapy. The study authors suggest that further refining these approaches will be forthcoming in the future and prove valuable in precisely defining targets and broadening therapeutic applications.
VCU collaborators: Padmanabhan Mannangatti, Ph.D., Praveen Bhoopathi, Ph.D., Luni Emdad, Ph.D., and Amit Kumar, Ph.D.
Written by: Blake Belden
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