Using estrogen suppression to improve immunotherapy for lung cancer
Official title: Estrogen Suppression as a Strategy to Enhance Immunotherapy Efficacy in EGFR-Mutated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Funded at Research Inst of Fox Chase Can Ctr · NIH-10947783 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how estrogen influences the immune system in patients with non-small cell lung cancer who have specific gene changes, to find out why they might not respond well to certain treatments and to see if lowering estrogen could help improve their cancer care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Research Inst of Fox Chase Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $483,395 |
| NIH project number | 1R21CA282851-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10947783 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer, particularly those who have not responded well to current treatments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-EGFR-mutant lung cancer or those who are not eligible for immunotherapy may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how estrogen affects the immune environment in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with EGFR mutations. It aims to understand why these patients often do not respond well to immunotherapy and to explore estrogen suppression as a potential strategy to enhance treatment efficacy. By analyzing the tumor microenvironment, the study seeks to identify ways to increase the presence of immune cells that can fight the cancer. Patients may be involved in trials that test new treatment combinations aimed at improving their outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective immunotherapy options for patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC.
How similar studies have gone: While the approach of targeting estrogen in cancer treatment is emerging, this specific strategy for enhancing immunotherapy in EGFR-mutant NSCLC is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Research Inst of Fox Chase Can Ctr
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bodor, Joseph Nicholas — Research Inst of Fox Chase Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Bodor, Joseph Nicholas
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Targeting GARP-TGFβ to Improve Immunotherapy in NSCLC
A new antibody approach aims to block a key TGFβ-related pathway in the tumor environment to help people with non-small cell lung cancer respond better to therapy.
-
Targeting DHX9 to boost viral-like immune response in Small Cell Lung Cancer
A scientist team is testing whether blocking a protein called DHX9 can make aggressive small cell lung cancer more visible to the immune system and more responsive to immunotherapy.
-
Integrated blood and radiomics to guide immunotherapy in metastatic NSCLC
A research project aims to use blood tests and advanced imaging patterns to personalize first-line immunotherapy choices for people with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.
-
Blocking a tumor pathway to boost immunotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer
This project will see if adding a drug that blocks the Hedgehog pathway to immune checkpoint therapy helps people with non-small cell lung cancer by restoring the immune system's CD8 T cells inside tumors.
-
Improving Immunotherapy for Lung Cancer with CT Scans
This work aims to find new ways to predict which non-small cell lung cancer patients will respond best to immunotherapy using information from their routine CT scans.
-
Using CT scans and patient tests to predict who will benefit from PD‑1 immunotherapy
A computer tool combines CT scan features, blood and tumor markers, and clinical data to predict which people with advanced lung or bladder cancer are likely to benefit from PD‑1 immunotherapy.
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.