Gastrointestinal Microbiota and Immunotherapy in Advanced Prostate Cancer
Abstract
Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of death of American men. Despite the availability of many prostate cancer treatments, some prostate cancers stop responding to these treatments altogether. Therefore, scientists and doctors are looking for alternative methods to treat cancers. Excitingly, there is a new form of treatment called immunotherapy, which stimulates the body’s own immune system to kill tumor cells. Immunotherapy is very effective against some tumors, such as melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer, but it is not consistently effective in treating prostate cancer. Therefore, scientists are looking for ways to make immunotherapy more effective. The intestines of people and animals are full of bacteria (microbiota), many of which are beneficial to the host. Recently, scientists discovered that these bacteria in the intestines must be present in order for cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and immunotherapy to be most effective. Intrigued by this finding, we would like to investigate whether the type of bacteria that prostate cancer patients have in their intestines determines how a patient will respond to immunotherapy. To do this, we will collect bacteria from the intestines of men before starting prostate cancer therapy and throughout their treatment. We will analyze the different types and numbers of bacteria at different time points and look for correlations between which bacteria are present and how the patient is responding to therapy. Based on our preliminary studies, we are especially interested in one type of bacteria, called Akkermansia. Next, we will look at how different prostate cancer treatments affect the intestinal lining because some people have guessed that, if the lining is disrupted, bacteria inside the intestine will cross the lining and kick-start the immune system inside of the body. We will also look at whether the presence of a specific bacteria (e.g., Akkermansia) is better at kick-starting the immune system than others by measuring whether certain immune cells are activated. The short-term objective of this study is to perform one of the first studies investigating the relationships between the gastrointestinal bacteria and treatment response to immunotherapy in men with advanced prostate cancer. Our studies will therefore generate invaluable information regarding the effect of the gastrointestinal microbiota on treatment responses to therapies for advanced prostate cancer. The long-term objective would be either (1) development of personalized treatment regimens for men with advanced prostate cancer that are based on individualized microbial treatment response profiles or (2) development of microbiota supplementation (e.g., “probiotics”) as an addition to therapy for men with advanced prostate cancer undergoing immunotherapy. Therefore, the long-term impact of our studies would be in developing strategies to enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy in men with advanced prostate cancer. The Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program Early Investigator Research Award is an invaluable opportunity in my journey toward becoming an independent prostate cancer research scientist. It would allow me to develop and carry out my own research project under the direct mentorship of an established researcher in the prostate cancer field. I see this award as more than an opportunity to do research; it is an opportunity to network within the Johns Hopkins community, develop relations within the prostate cancer community, form collaborations, and foster my scientific creativity and criticism, all of which will contribute to the fundamental support system that I will rely on as a young independent researcher.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Oct 29, 2018
- Source ID
- W81XWH1810545
Entities
People
- Lauren B Peiffer
Organizations
- Johns Hopkins University
- United States Army