For Whom the Cell Tolls: Cancer Biology and Other Stories

The basic answer is no. When faced with R-CHOP resistance, DLBCL patients now have the option to utilize genetically modified Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cells (CAR-T) designed to hunt tumors. This episode investigates the recent controversy into if these super-cells can transition into a villainous tumor themselves. We cover a paper by Garcia et. al. that showcases how much power we are adding to CAR-T, even activating oncogenes to do it. Next, we transition to a large analysis from Stanford where 724 patients are examined, with 1 developing a T-cell tumor. Sequencing this case reveals that no synthetic vector DNA integrations or activity is within the tumor. It ends up revealing a great surprise about shared evolutionary pathways between B & T-cell progenitor stem cells. Enjoy the episode!

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Hamilton Paper (TCL After CAR-T): https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2401361

Garcia Paper (CARD11 in CAR-T): https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07018-7

Welcome back! It's been a while. I'm excited to get going again with an episode on the emerging science of "ecotyping" the cells around tumors - the microenvironment. Ecology and Evolution of lymphoma tumors is only half the story. We needed to know more about the state of cells around the tumor. How do they affect the surrounding immune cells? Do they support the tumor? We examine the worst possible scenario: when very little remains except for tumor and support cells. What are the consequences for immune-specific therapies like CAR-T cells? Hopefully this episode provides a good intro to our new tools to measure the TME and how it can further advance precision cancer medicine. I hope that you enjoy!

Steen: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34597589/

Katlov: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33541860/

What do you think? Would the immensely powerful amount of data be a game-changer for medicine? Or does DNA sequencing miss too much of the picture to be worth the cost? This question is an example why we need leaders that understand Biology as genomics becomes hyper-accessible. I do my best to discuss the primary Pros and Cons of each side, along with possible modifications to the proposal. Enjoy!

This episode covers how gene therapy may emerge as a critical tool for medicine as we seek to treat the previously untreatable. Can we ADD genes to specific cells to help humans overcome fated genetic ailments? Why has this process challenged us in the past? And lastly, who is going to pay for all these expensive viral delivery systems? Join to take a first look at how medicine and genetics can change the future.

This episode covers the basics of how a cancer begins. Genetic mutations can often knock out genes responsible for keeping an eye on how many cell divisions are allowed. Once these are out of the way, aggressive growth genes can overcome them and cause initial tumor populations to form. After further successive survival advantages are gained, tumors eventually break free from their original organ/tissue and wreak havoc. Learning how to address the initial and final stages of cancer are key towards better clinical outcomes for all patients.