How changes in the MYC gene make small cell lung cancer resist treatment
Acquired Cross-Resistance through MYC Amplification in Small Cell Lung Cancer
Looks at whether increases in the MYC gene explain why small cell lung cancer becomes resistant to many chemotherapies in people whose cancer has returned.
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 ID | NIH-11252555 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I have small cell lung cancer, researchers use tumor biopsies and circulating tumor cells from patients to grow patient-derived models that behave like real tumors. They test many standard and experimental drugs on a large panel of these models to see which tumors are cross-resistant to multiple therapies. For a subset of patients they compare models made before treatment and after relapse to pinpoint genetic changes, such as MYC amplification, that appear with resistance. The goal is to link those genetic changes to patterns of drug failure so future treatments or trials can target the right patients.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with small cell lung cancer, especially those whose cancer has relapsed after initial chemotherapy or who can donate tumor biopsies or blood for circulating tumor cells, are the ideal candidates for contributing to this work.
Not a fit: People without small cell lung cancer (for example, non-small cell lung cancer) or whose tumors do not show MYC changes are unlikely to directly benefit from these specific findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could reveal why relapsed small cell lung cancer stops responding to many treatments and guide better second-line therapies or targeted trials for patients with MYC-driven resistance.
How similar studies have performed: Patient-derived xenograft and circulating tumor cell models have previously mirrored patient drug responses, but using them to trace MYC-driven cross-resistance in relapsed SCLC is a relatively new application.
Where this research is happening
Dallas, United States
- Ut Southwestern Medical Center — Dallas, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Drapkin, Benjamin J — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Drapkin, Benjamin J
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.