Finding new ways to treat small cell lung cancer
Official title: Overcoming Therapy Resistance in SCLC
Funded at Ut Southwestern Medical Center · NIH-11032866 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at ways to improve treatments for small cell lung cancer by understanding why some therapies don't work and how we can boost the immune system to fight the cancer better, and patients may have the chance to try new treatment combinations in the process.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2024 |
| Project end | February 28, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $539,763 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA289500-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11032866 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals diagnosed with small cell lung cancer who have not responded adequately to standard treatments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-small cell lung cancer or those who have already exhausted all treatment options may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on small cell lung cancer (SCLC), a type of lung cancer known for its poor prognosis and limited treatment options. The project aims to explore how to overcome resistance to existing therapies, particularly immunotherapies that have shown promise in other types of lung cancer. By investigating the mechanisms behind treatment resistance and the role of the immune system, the research seeks to develop more effective strategies for treating SCLC. Patients may be involved in trials that test new combinations of therapies designed to enhance the immune response against tumors.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective treatments for small cell lung cancer, improving survival rates and quality of life for patients.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown success with immunotherapy approaches in other types of lung cancer, indicating potential for similar advancements in SCLC.
Where this research is happening
-
Ut Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Akbay, Esra — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Akbay, Esra
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Role of Twice-Daily Thoracic Radiotherapy in Limited-Stage SCLC in the Immunotherapy Era
This project looks at whether giving twice-daily radiotherapy for limited-stage small cell lung cancer still helps patients today who are also getting immunotherapy.
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SCLC model creation and therapy testing
A cancer research program using mouse models and engineered human and mouse cells to study small cell lung cancer and test potential treatments.
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Impact of genetic changes on SCLC subtypes and treatment response
This project explores how specific genetic changes in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) affect the disease and how it responds to targeted drugs.
-
Repair mechanisms for DNA lesions in small cell lung cancer
Researchers are studying how cancer cells with small cell lung cancer respond or become resistant to treatment by looking at the ways DNA damage is repaired.
-
Understanding how replication stress affects a hard-to-treat breast cancer gene patients may carry
This grant explores how certain breast cancer gene defects interact with replication stress to influence cancer cell survival and treatment resistance, with potential implications for therapies in patients with BRCA2-related breast cancer.
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Replication Stress Sensing Defects in Small Cell Lung Cancer
A study in people might not be involved directly, but it aims to understand why a common lung cancer responds poorly to therapy over time by examining how cancer cells handle replication stress.
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.