How gut bacteria affect cancer treatment effectiveness
Official title: Improvement of cellular immunotherapy during dysbiosis- Resubmission
Funded at Univ of Arkansas for Med Scis · NIH-11059705 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how changes in gut bacteria caused by antibiotics might affect the success of immunotherapy for patients with advanced melanoma, with the hope of finding ways to improve treatment results for those who need it.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Arkansas for Med Scis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Little Rock, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $71,997 |
| NIH project number | 3R01CA245083-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11059705 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients with advanced melanoma who are undergoing or considering cellular immunotherapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with early-stage melanoma or those not receiving immunotherapy may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the impact of antibiotic-induced changes in gut bacteria, known as dysbiosis, on the effectiveness of cellular immunotherapy for melanoma patients. By understanding how these changes affect the immune system and tumor microenvironment, the researchers aim to develop strategies to enhance the response to immunotherapy. The study focuses on advanced melanoma, where current treatment responses are only about 50%. The goal is to identify ways to overcome the negative effects of dysbiosis and improve treatment outcomes for patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved effectiveness of immunotherapy for melanoma patients, potentially increasing survival rates.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific approach of addressing dysbiosis in relation to immunotherapy is novel, similar research has shown that gut microbiome health can influence treatment outcomes in cancer therapies.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of Arkansas for Med Scis
Little Rock, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dings, Ruud P.m. — Univ of Arkansas for Med Scis
- Study coordinator: Dings, Ruud P.m.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Improving cell-based melanoma treatment affected by antibiotic-related gut imbalance
Working to make cell-based immunotherapy work better for people with advanced melanoma whose gut bacteria were disrupted by antibiotics.
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Improving immune cell therapy for melanoma after antibiotic-related gut changes
This work seeks ways to help cellular immunotherapy work better for people with melanoma whose gut bacteria have been disrupted by antibiotics.
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How gut bacteria affect cancer treatment effectiveness
This study is looking at how changes in gut bacteria caused by antibiotics might affect the success of cancer treatments for melanoma, and it's especially for patients with advanced melanoma who have taken antibiotics.
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Boosting immune response to fight cancer
This study is exploring a new way to help your immune system better fight cancer by tweaking certain cells in your body, and it aims to improve treatment for people with advanced cancer.
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A center focused on immunotherapy for pediatric cancers.
This study is exploring new ways to use the body's immune system to fight childhood cancers, aiming to create better treatments for kids whose cancers haven't responded well to standard therapies.
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Microbial Dysbiosis and Its Role in Pancreatic Cancer
A doctor-researcher team at Northwestern University is studying how gut bacteria influence pancreatic cancer and its response to immunotherapy to find new ways to help patients.
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.