Moffitt Led Study Finds Keys to Brain Cancer Growth, May Help Improve Treatments
TAMPA, Fla. — A new study published in Cancer Research has uncovered how brain cancer cells grow and change based on their environment, which could help doctors predict how tumors respond to treatment. The research focused on glioblastoma, the most aggressive type of brain tumor, and looked at ploidy, which refers to the number of chromosomes in a cell.
The interdisciplinary team of researchers, led by Noemi Andor, Ph.D. and Ana Gomes, Ph.D. from Moffitt Cancer Center, and Parag Katira, Ph.D., a mechanical engineering professor at San Diego State University, found that cancer cells with different ploidy levels react differently to oxygen and nutrients in the brain, which affects how quickly the tumor returns after surgery.
“Our findings show that the resources available in the brain influence how glioblastoma cells evolve,” said Andor, an assistant member in the Integrated Mathematical Oncology Department at Moffitt and co-lead author of the study. “This could help us predict tumor growth and personalize treatment plans.”
The study used a new mathematical model called the Stochastic State-Space Model of the Brain. This model patient data, medical images and lab research to predict how glioblastoma cells grow, move and respond to treatments. The findings are the result of a collaborative effort by trainees and principal investigators from various oncology fields, establishing a framework for integrating diverse data and predicting glioblastoma progression.
Key findings:
- Some glioblastoma cells switch to using sugar for energy faster than others, depending on oxygen levels.
- The amount of oxygen and nutrients in the brain affects how tumors grow and come back after treatment.
- Understanding how tumors use energy could help doctors make better treatment decisions.
Researchers also studied brain scans from glioblastoma patients to track tumor regrowth. They found that tumors with different ploidy levels grow back at different speeds, depending on where they are in the brain.
“This research could help us find new ways to slow down tumor growth by targeting the energy supply that cancer cells rely on,” Andor said.
This study was supported by the National Institutes of Health (R37CA266727, R21CA269415 and R03CA259873) and by the Moffitt Cancer Center Evolutionary Therapy Center of Excellence.
About Moffitt Cancer Center
Moffitt is dedicated to one lifesaving mission: to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer. The Tampa-based facility is one of only 57 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers, a distinction that recognizes Moffitt’s scientific excellence, multidisciplinary research, and robust training and education. Moffitt’s expert nursing staff is recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center with Magnet® status, its highest distinction. For more information, call 1-888-MOFFITT (1-888-663-3488), visit MOFFITT.org, and follow the momentum on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
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