Enhancing the immune response to cancer treatment with radiotherapy
Official title: Overcoming tumor-intrinsic mechanisms of immune evasion to boost systemic response to radiotherapy
Funded at Mayo Clinic Rochester · NIH-10798495 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at ways to make radiation therapy work better for people with advanced cancer by combining it with special treatments that help the immune system fight the cancer, focusing on a specific molecule called B7-H3, to see if this can lead to better results for patients with metastatic cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $577,818 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA278908-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10798495 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients with advanced metastatic cancers who have not responded adequately to standard treatments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with early-stage cancers or those who are not candidates for radiotherapy may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how to improve the effectiveness of radiotherapy in treating advanced cancers by combining it with immune checkpoint blockade therapies. The approach focuses on understanding and overcoming the mechanisms that tumors use to evade the immune system, particularly through the immune checkpoint molecule B7-H3. By exploring the interactions between tumor cells and immune cells, the research aims to enhance the immune response, potentially leading to better outcomes for patients with metastatic cancer. The study will involve analyzing how these therapies can work together to trigger a broader immune response, known as the abscopal effect, which can help shrink tumors that are not directly targeted by radiation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective cancer treatments that improve survival rates and quality of life for patients with advanced cancers.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in combining radiotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors, but this specific approach targeting B7-H3 is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Rochester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lucien-Matteoni, Fabrice — Mayo Clinic Rochester
- Study coordinator: Lucien-Matteoni, Fabrice
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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.