Blocking FTO to make radiation therapy safer and more effective
Project 4: FTO Inhibition to Enhance the Therapeutic Index of Radiotherapy
This project aims to use drugs that block a cancer enzyme called FTO to help radiation therapy work better for people with cervical, lung, or head and neck tumors.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11178487 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will study whether stopping the enzyme FTO changes tumor metabolism so radiation damages cancer cells more and spares healthy tissue. They will use lab-grown cancer cells and animal models and apply both genetic methods and drug inhibitors that target FTO. The team will focus on cancers that rely on altered glutamine use, including cervical cancer and certain lung and head and neck cancers. Early lab results suggest combining FTO blockers with radiation may make tumors more sensitive to treatment.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with cervical cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (including KEAP1-mutant cases), or head and neck cancers who are receiving or planning to receive radiation would be the most relevant patients.
Not a fit: People with cancers that do not depend on FTO or glutamine metabolism, pediatric patients, or those not undergoing radiation are less likely to benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could make radiotherapy more effective at controlling tumors while potentially lowering radiation doses and side effects.
How similar studies have performed: Preclinical studies already show FTO inhibition can slow tumor growth and increase radiation sensitivity in some cancer models, but clinical testing in patients is novel.
Where this research is happening
Stanford, United States
- Stanford University — Stanford, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rankin, Erinn B — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Rankin, Erinn B
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.