Category Archives: In the News

Global Access to Cancer Research and Treatment

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Bob Li, MD, PhD, MPH

Bob Li, MD, PhD, MPH. Photo by Richard DeWitt.

A Forbes profile of MSK’s Dr. Bob Li chronicles his path from China to Australia to the United States. At MSK, he works as a Thoracic Oncologist and the Physician Ambassador to China and Asia-Pacific, Bobst International Center.

In the article, Dr. Li emphasizes the need for more global coordination and inclusivity in cancer research and care. As he says, “We’re not going to find the cure for cancer unless we solve this equity question and this access question.”

Dr. Li notes that only 5% of patients globally enroll in clinical trials, which contributes to the “process from discovery in the lab to breakthrough and saving lives in human beings [taking] about 10-plus years.”

Learn more from the Harvard Business Review article co-written by Dr. Li last year, “We Need a Global System for Testing and Approving Cancer Treatments.”

Antioxidants Promoting Cancer Growth, A First-In-Class Targeted microRNA Therapy and More

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  • New research by scientists at Vanderbilt and Cornell universities demonstrated that cancer-killing immune system T cells become dysfunctional or “exhausted” within hours of encountering a tumor, significantly reducing the effect of immunotherapy. The challenge now becomes to identify targets that could prevent or reverse it. So far, the researchers have identified biomarkers that allow them to predict whether T cells will respond to a tumor or not, which is helpful for personalizing immunotherapies. The study was published in Nature Immunology.
  • A recent study discovered that two new genes, NEK2 and INHBA, cause resistance to chemotherapy in head and neck cancer patients and that “silencing either gene can make cancer cells previously unresponsive to chemotherapy subsequently respond to it.” These two genes also play role in other cancers, so these findings can potentially expand to managing different cancer types. The study is published in Molecular Cancer.
  • A new study found that antioxidants such as vitamins C and E can promote cancer growth and metastasizing by stimulating the development of new blood vessels in tumors, boosting their growth and spread. This new finding warrants caution in taking antioxidant supplements without true medical necessity. The study was published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.
  • A new cancer therapy has been introduced by Purdue University researchers. “A first in class” targeted microRNA therapy that slows tumor growth was reported in an article published in Oncogene.
  • A randomized trial demonstrated that Artificial Intelligence-enabled breast cancer mammography screening was more effective than the standard reading by two experienced radiologists. The study was published in Lancet Oncology. At the same time, two other studies published in the Annals of Internal Medicine showed that AI didn’t improve the detection of advanced adenomas leading to colorectal cancer. Thus, it remains unclear whether AI use could reduce the incidence of colon cancer. The first study is a randomized trial, and the second one is a systematic review and meta-analysis.
  • Two recent studies evaluated Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbox responses to cancer related searches on the World Wide Web. The first study found that chatbox responses were of high quality but had some limitations. The second study found that a chatbot’s responses on cancer treatments were inconsistent with recommendations in National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines.

Does Diet Matter?

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Francesca Castro and Dr. Urvi Shah

Francesca Castro (left). Photo by Chad Hunt.
Dr. Urvi Shah (right). Photo by Ethan Kavet.

Americans eat loads of ultra-processed foods, from soda to cold cuts to potato chips. But could these items be contributing to cancer rates?

Perhaps. In an article for VeryWellHealth, MSK Dietitian Nutritionist Francesca Castro notes that ultra-processed diets are generally low in fiber, which is known to protect against many cancers. Still, there are other foods that can increase cancer risk, like red meat.

Castro concludes, “There’s no one food or food group that can cure cancer or reduce cancer risk.” She recommends people look critically at their overall diet and think about whether they could benefit from eating more vegetables, fruits, and fiber.

Want to learn more? Listen to an interview with MSK’s Dr. Urvi Shah on the Healthcare Unfiltered podcast. She discusses the challenges of doing nutrition-related research, along with findings by her and others in the field about diet and cancer risk. Her descriptions of this research begin around 17:30. (Spoiler alert: eat more plant-based foods.)