Developing New Therapeutic Strategies for Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor By Interrupting Immunologic Tolerance
Abstract
The most common cause of death in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST). Unfortunately, other than surgery, which is not always feasible, our currently available cancer chemotherapies are not effective for NF1 patients with MPNST. We are studying the use of viruses to treat MPNST. Viruses such as the recently Food and Drug Administration-approved T-VEC, which is derived from the cold sore virus, can infect and kill tumor cells. In addition, there is mounting evidence that viruses can induce or increase an immune response against cancer cells, resulting in long-lasting immunity that prevents cancer recurrence. Viruses are unlikely to be curative by themselves, however, particularly since cancers often develop a number of ways to suppress immunity. We seek to determine whether counteracting the immune suppression found within many cancers can increase the treatment effects of herpes virus in mouse models of MPNST. While all of the studies in this proposal are in mouse models, what we learn can help us design more effective clinical trials for patients. Our findings could result in a new clinical trial right away, as most of the drugs we are testing in the proposal are already in clinical use.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Oct 29, 2018
- Source ID
- W81XWH1810546
Entities
People
- Timothy Cripe
Organizations
- United States Army