Treating small cell lung cancer that stops responding to therapy
Overcoming Therapy Resistance in SCLC
This project tests new ways to make small cell lung cancer that has become resistant to chemotherapy, radiation, or immunotherapy more responsive to treatment.
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-11286788 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, researchers are working to understand why small cell lung cancer often comes back after standard treatments and why some tumors do not trigger an immune attack. They focus on how cancer cells handle DNA damage and replication stress and how that lets them survive treatment. The team will use lab models and human tumor material to try combinations of radiation, immune approaches, and drugs that block the cancer's repair pathways. The goal is to turn immunologically “cold” tumors into “hot” ones that the immune system and existing therapies can better control.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with small cell lung cancer—especially those whose cancer relapsed after chemotherapy or did not respond to immunotherapy—would be the most likely candidates.
Not a fit: Patients with other types of cancer or those whose SCLC is already cured by standard treatment may not benefit directly from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new combination treatments that keep SCLC controlled longer or restore sensitivity to existing therapies.
How similar studies have performed: Radiation and immunotherapy have helped some lung cancers but have shown limited and inconsistent benefit in SCLC, so this approach builds on known ideas but remains experimental.
Where this research is happening
Dallas, United States
- Ut Southwestern Medical Center — Dallas, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Akbay, Esra — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Akbay, Esra
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.