Cancer and Chemical Link
Sylvester Physician Explains ‘Endocrine Disruptors,’ Cancer Risk
Physician-scientist Mikkael Sekeres, M.D., chief of hematology at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, authored a guest commentary in The Washington Post and appeared on its podcast to explain “endocrine disruptors” and their potential cancer risk. Sekeres noted that there are more than 1,000 chemicals, including bisphenol A (BPAs), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) and phthalates that may affect the endocrine system, but the cancer risk is not equivalent to known risk factors such as alcohol and smoking.
Cancer and Nutrition
Refining Nutrition’s Potential Role in Cancer Treatment
“Nutrition plays a well-known role in cancer prevention and survivorship, but there is very little solid guidance on how to support patients nutritionally during chemotherapy,” said Tracy Crane, Ph.D., R.D.N., Sylvester’s director of lifestyle medicine, prevention and digital health. That gap prompted the National Cancer Institute to fund the Exercise and Nutrition Interventions to Improve Cancer Treatment-Related Outcomes (ENICTO) research consortium. Crane, who chairs an ENICTO working group, and colleagues recently published results from a study evaluating nutrition’s potential role in improving chemotherapy effectiveness and patient outcomes.
Breast Cancer
Powerlifting Through Breast Cancer Defies Conventional Wisdom
Breast cancer was a heavy lift for LaShae Rolle, but not for the reasons you might think. Rolle, 27, is a competitive powerlifter who can squat 441 pounds, bench nearly 300 pounds and deadlift almost 500 pounds. She also is a breast cancer survivor and researcher who served as lead author on a first-ever study documenting elite-level strength training during active treatment. Her findings, published in Lifestyle Medicine, challenge the long-held belief that cancer patients should stick to lower-intensity exercise while undergoing therapy.
Blood Cancer
New Research Shows DNA Regulatory Switch Promotes Blood Cell Development
A recent study led by Sylvester Director Stephen D. Nimer, M.D., shows how a key molecule regulates the generation of new blood cells, a process called hematopoiesis that goes awry in cancer. The findings could lead to new therapeutic strategies targeting the molecule, TAF1, which regulates gene activity. The study “not only challenges prevailing models of hematopoietic regulation, but also lays the groundwork for innovative clinical applications,” said Ramin Shiekhattar, Ph.D., co-leader of Sylvester’s Cancer Epigenetics Program and a study author.
Targeted Drug Expands Treatment Options for MDS Patients
The targeted drug olutasidenib is highly effective in treating patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a condition considered incurable without bone marrow or stem cell transplantation, according to results from a new clinical study. Its findings, published in Blood Advances, are already prompting changes in care for high-risk MDS patients, who often must undergo repeated blood transfusions and have few treatment options. “We saw really quite remarkable outcomes in a very high-risk MDS population …,” said Sylvester physician-scientist Justin Watts, M.D., who led the study.
Pancreatic Cancer
New Study Helps Define Link Between Alcohol Use, Pancreatic Cancer
Despite mounting evidence linking alcohol consumption to cancer risk, little is known about the biological mechanisms underlying the association. However, a new study published in Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, suggests that inhibiting a cellular molecule called CREB might thwart pancreatic tumor development from alcohol. “Our model serves as an important platform for understanding how chronic inflammation related to alcohol consumption accelerates the development of pancreatic cancer,” said Siddharth Mehra, Ph.D., the study’s first author.
Cancer Research
Study Uncovers Molecular Drivers of Cellular Differentiation
Sylvester researchers have documented use of a new RNA sequencing technology to uncover molecular drivers of cellular differentiation that could lead to better regenerative therapies. The technique, Rapid Precision Run-On Sequencing (rPro-seq), has the potential to understand patients’ disease status and treatment response in real time. The findings were highlighted in two published papers – the first July 24 and the second Aug. 7 – in Molecular Cell.