Helping radiation and immunotherapy work together to fight advanced cancer
Overcoming tumor-intrinsic mechanisms of immune evasion to boost systemic response to radiotherapy
This project looks at whether blocking a tumor protein called B7-H3 can help radiation plus immunotherapy trigger stronger whole-body cancer-fighting responses in people with advanced 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 ID | NIH-11195577 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers aim to understand why some tumors resist the immune response after radiation and why the so-called abscopal effect — shrinkage of distant tumors after local radiation — is rare. They will study how the tumor protein B7-H3 and tumor-derived extracellular vesicles suppress immune cells and test approaches to block those signals. The team plans experiments that combine radiation, immune checkpoint therapies, and B7-H3–targeting strategies to see if that combination produces stronger systemic tumor control. Findings could guide new combination treatments to try in patients with metastatic cancers.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with advanced or metastatic solid tumors who are candidates for radiation and immune checkpoint therapy would be the most likely candidates for related clinical testing.
Not a fit: Patients with cancers not treated with radiation, certain blood cancers, or tumors that do not use B7-H3–related immune evasion may not benefit from these approaches.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could increase the chance that radiation plus immunotherapy causes shrinkage of distant tumors and improve outcomes for people with advanced cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Combining radiation and immune checkpoint drugs has produced rare abscopal responses in some patients, while targeting B7-H3 is a newer strategy with promising preclinical data but limited clinical proof so far.
Where this research is happening
Rochester, United States
- Mayo Clinic Rochester — Rochester, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lucien-Matteoni, Fabrice — Mayo Clinic Rochester
- Study coordinator: Lucien-Matteoni, Fabrice
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.