Characterization and Disruption of Effectors Essential to Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma (NSCLC) Tumor Initiation
Abstract
This proposal is intended to help understand the molecular mechanisms of initiation and progression to lung cancer and to identify innovative strategies for the prevention of recurrence of, or metastases from lung cancer. Not all cells in a tumor can form a new tumor. Those cells that can make new tumors, particularly the tumors that spread from the original tumor to other organs, are called cancer stem cells. Cancer stem cells are often resistant to conventional therapies and play an important role in post-treatment tumor recurrence and metastasis. The data supporting this research identify a protein that is required for the formation of cancer stem cells in the most common form of lung cancer, non-small-cell lung carcinoma. This research will determine how that protein functions to make cancer stem cells in non-small-cell lung carcinoma and test methods for destroying that protein in lung cancer cells. This effort is expected to discover and validate a novel approach to suppress, and possibly reverse, the growth and spread of the tumors to other organs. If successful, this project should spur research and development over the next decade that ultimately benefits the way in which patients with this form of lung cancer are treated, reducing lung cancer deaths. U.S. Military Service Members and Veterans are at increased risk of developing lung cancer due to higher smoking rates and increased occupational exposures compared to the overall U.S. population. Thus, active-duty military personnel and Veterans would benefit from efforts that reveal unique vulnerabilities in non-small-cell lung carcinoma that can exploited for therapy.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Dec 28, 2022
- Source ID
- W81XWH2210115
Entities
People
- Robert E Lewis
Organizations
- United States Army
- University of Nebraska Medical Center