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Cancer Research
Blood test can predict prognosis in deadly brain cancer
A Penn study points to clinical utility of liquid biopsy in glioblastoma, allowing doctors the ability to measure the progression of the cancer based on the amount of cell-free DNA in the bloodstream
Algorithm identifies advance care planning needs
A Penn-developed system can be used to ensure that doctors talk to cancer patients about their values and goals before it is too late.
Basser Center takes aim at BRCA
Twenty-five years after the discovery of genetic mutations that dramatically increase cancer risk, the Penn Medicine’s Basser Center for BRCA is building scientific knowledge alongside public awareness about BRCA-related cancers.
Algorithm personalizes which cancer mutations are best targets for immunotherapy
A new model developed by researchers in the Abramson Cancer Center hand-picks cancer cells to target for more effective, customized cancer vaccines.
In pursuit of a cure, when ideas and options have run out
A new book from Penn Medicine’s David Fajgenbaum chronicles his journey to beat Castleman disease, a rare disorder that he’s lived with for almost a decade.
Two studies highlight proton therapy for pediatric brain cancer
A pair of new studies done at Penn and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia add to the growing body of research showing the potential benefits of proton therapy.
A potential new treatment for a deadly form of prostate cancer
Blocking a specific protein sets off a chain reaction that results in the death of prostate cancer cells that have spread and are resistant to standard therapies.
Balance of ‘stop’ and ‘go’ signaling could be key to cancer immunotherapy
A Penn study shows potential of the interferon pathway as a biomarker to help predict which patients are likely to respond to immunotherapies.
A new cancer drug, thanks to a new approach
Researchers in the Abramson Cancer Center helped bring new hope to patients with multiple myeloma with a drug that targets the command center of a cancer cell.
Hormone therapy for prostate cancer may raise risk of Alzheimer’s, dementia
A Penn study of more than 150,000 men with prostate cancer shows androgen deprivation therapy was associated with a higher likelihood of developing dementia when compared to patients who were not exposed to the treatment.
In the News
There’s still no standard test to detect pancreatic cancer early. Scientists are working to change that
A 2020 study from the Perelman School of Medicine found that a blood test to screen for certain biomarkers associated with pancreatic cancer was 92% accurate in its ability to detect disease.
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A new strategy to attack aggressive brain cancer shrank tumors in two early tests
A clinical trial led by Stephen Bagley of the Perelman School of Medicine suggests that targeting two associated proteins with CAR T cell therapy could be a viable strategy for shrinking brain tumors.
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Penn’s BRCA cancer vaccine trial aims to prevent the disease in healthy people
A trial led by Susan Domchek of the Perelman School of Medicine could use a preventive vaccine to protect people with a BRCA gene mutation from cancer.
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UPenn scientists among those developing vaccines that arm the immune system to fight cancer
Penn Medicine researchers like Nobel laureate Drew Weissman are leading efforts to develop a vaccine that prevents cancer, with remarks from Susan Domchek of the Basser Center for BRCA and Robert H. Vonderheide of the Abramson Cancer Center.
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AI detects cancers and immunotherapy biomarker
Daiwei Zhang and Mingyao Li of the Perelman School of Medicine and colleagues have developed an AI tool called iStar that can automatically spot tumors and types of cancer that are difficult for clinicians to see or identify and can predict candidates for immunotherapy.
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Penn started giving cancer patients free rides to appointments. It helped reduce no-shows and increase clinical trial enrollment
The Abramson Cancer Center is attempting to address one of the most common challenges cancer patients face: lack of transportation to critically important appointments. Robert Vonderheide and Carmen Guerra of the Perelman School of Medicine are quoted on the Ride Health initiative.
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