Understanding how gliomas change and resist treatment
Evolution of gliomas during treatment and resistance
This project aims to understand why brain tumors called gliomas become resistant to common treatments like chemotherapy, so doctors can choose better therapies for patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dana-Farber Cancer Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11120930 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Many patients with gliomas face a challenge when their tumors stop responding to standard treatments like radiation and chemotherapy drugs such as temozolomide and CCNU. Our previous work showed that a specific change in the tumor's DNA repair system can make it resistant to temozolomide, and these resistant tumors often don't respond to newer immune therapies but might respond to CCNU. This project seeks to fully understand the different ways gliomas develop resistance to these key chemotherapy drugs. By doing so, we hope to discover new ways to combine existing treatments and identify markers that help doctors predict which treatment will work best for each patient.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This research is relevant for adult patients, 21 years or older, diagnosed with gliomas, especially those whose tumors have become resistant to standard chemotherapy.
Not a fit: Patients without a glioma diagnosis or those whose tumors have not yet developed resistance to current treatments may not directly benefit from this specific research phase.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more effective treatment strategies for glioma patients, helping doctors choose the right therapy at the right time and potentially improving patient outcomes.
How similar studies have performed: This project builds upon previous findings from the same research team and extensive existing work on how chemotherapy drugs damage DNA, aiming to provide a more unified understanding of treatment resistance.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Dana-Farber Cancer Inst — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Beroukhim, Rameen — Dana-Farber Cancer Inst
- Study coordinator: Beroukhim, Rameen
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.