Investigating a pathway to improve immune responses in prostate cancer patients
Official title: Targeting the cGAS/STING Pathway to Overcome Resistance to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in PTEN-deficient Prostate Cancer
Funded at University of Chicago · NIH-10911174 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how to make cancer treatments work better for men with advanced prostate cancer that has stopped responding to hormone therapy, especially those whose tumors have lost a specific gene, by exploring ways to boost the immune system's ability to fight the cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $507,942 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA273914-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-10911174 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with metastatic, castrate-resistant prostate cancer who have a loss of the PTEN gene.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with prostate cancer who do not have PTEN loss or those with other types of cancer may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on understanding how the cGAS/STING pathway can be targeted to enhance the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with metastatic, castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) who have a loss of the PTEN gene. The study involves analyzing the tumor microenvironment and the interactions between cancer cells and immune cells, particularly how these interactions contribute to resistance against current therapies. By exploring the mechanisms of immune suppression and potential ways to activate immune responses, the research aims to identify new treatment strategies that could improve patient outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective treatments for prostate cancer patients who currently do not respond to existing immune therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promising results in targeting similar pathways to enhance immune responses in cancer treatment, indicating that this approach has potential for success.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Patnaik, Akash — University of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Patnaik, Akash
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Boosting immune therapy in PTEN‑deficient prostate cancer by targeting the cGAS/STING pathway
This project tests drugs that turn on the cGAS/STING immune switch to help immune checkpoint medicines work better for men with PTEN‑deficient metastatic prostate cancer.
-
Cardiovascular risk planning and reduction for men with prostate cancer
A program to better predict and reduce heart disease risk in men treated for prostate cancer, especially older patients.
-
Effects of ADT on motivation and emotion in prostate cancer patients
This project looks at how androgen deprivation therapy may affect motivation and mood over time in men with prostate cancer.
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Causal Protein Markers to Understand and Predict Prostate Cancer Risk in Africans and Europeans
A cancer research project looking at proteins linked to prostate cancer to better understand why it happens and how risk differs between African and European populations.
-
Understanding how immune checkpoint drugs can trigger inflammatory arthritis in cancer patients
This research looks at why some cancer patients develop inflammatory arthritis after PD-1 inhibitor therapy and what could be done to prevent it.
-
Ethical multimodal AI platform to improve prostate cancer detection with ultrasound
A patient-friendly AI system uses ultrasound and MRI information to help doctors better find prostate cancer, aiming to improve accuracy and access.
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.