Stopping the spread of lung cancer in patients with a specific gene change
Official title: Targeting the ROR2/p-GSK3bS9 pathway to suppress metastasis in SMARCA4-deficient lung adenocarcinoma
Funded at Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research · NIH-11129917 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research aims to find new ways to prevent lung cancer from spreading in patients who have a particular genetic change called SMARCA4 deficiency.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | July 2, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $544,255 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA285856-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11129917 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research is most relevant to patients diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, particularly those whose tumors have a SMARCA4 gene deficiency.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with lung cancer types other than adenocarcinoma or those without SMARCA4 deficiency may not directly benefit from this specific research focus.
What this research studies
Many people with lung cancer face the challenge of the disease spreading to other parts of the body, which is a major cause of death. This project focuses on a specific type of lung cancer, adenocarcinoma, where a gene called SMARCA4 is often changed. When SMARCA4 is altered, it can make the cancer more likely to spread. Our team is exploring a new biological pathway, involving ROR2 and GSK3βS9, that seems to drive this spread in SMARCA4-deficient lung cancer. By understanding and targeting this pathway, we hope to develop new treatments that can stop the cancer from spreading.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new treatments that prevent or reduce the spread of lung adenocarcinoma, especially for patients with SMARCA4 gene changes.
How similar studies have gone: While the general concept of targeting cancer pathways is established, this specific approach of targeting the ROR2/p-GSK3βS9 pathway in SMARCA4-deficient lung adenocarcinoma is a novel area of investigation.
Where this research is happening
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Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jones, David R — Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
- Study coordinator: Jones, David R
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Targeting a cancer pathway to stop metastasis in SMARCA4-deficient lung cancer
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A researcher at NYU School of Medicine is studying why a common lung cancer subtype with a specific mutation doesn’t respond well to current immunotherapy, with the aim of finding new ways to improve treatment.
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Lung Adenocarcinoma: From Genome Changes to New Therapies
This NIH grant supports research on lung adenocarcinoma to better understand its genome changes and translate that knowledge into better diagnosis and treatments for 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.