“Researchers are advancing cancer therapy with innovative immunotherapies and precision approaches. At the University of California, Irvine, GlyTR compounds act like “Velcro,” binding cancer-specific glycans on tumor cells to kill multiple cancer types—including breast, colon, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, and prostate—while sparing healthy tissue, overcoming limitations of current immunotherapies in solid tumors.
Gene-editing is enhancing CAR T-cell potency. Using the CELLFIE platform, scientists found that knocking out RHOG improves CAR T-cell efficacy against leukemia in preclinical models. Meanwhile, the FDA approved imlunestrant (Inluriyo) for ER-positive, HER2-negative, ESR1-mutated advanced breast cancer after prior endocrine therapy, offering a new option for resistant disease.
Other breakthroughs include a new classification system for recurrent ovarian cancer based on genomics and immune profiling, dividing patients into four immune subgroups to guide therapy. Research on metastasis shows that SMAD4 reactivation suppresses liver but promotes lung metastases in pancreatic cancer models, highlighting that genetic effects can vary by metastatic site.