Latest news with #GeorgeDemetri
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
FidoCure Study Unlocks Breakthroughs in Deadliest Dog Cancer
Findings show precision medicine may rewrite fatal cancer outcomes PALO ALTO, Calif., May 14, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Researchers at FidoCure and Stanford University have published a peer-reviewed article in Nature Scientific Reports titled, "Real-world evidence couples genomic biomarkers with therapeutic outcomes for canine hemangiosarcoma," revealing how genomic profiling and targeted therapies can significantly improve patient outcomes for the largest unmet need for dogs: cancer. The study analyzed data from 508 pet dog patients enrolled in the FidoCure® Precision Medicine Platform with splenic hemangiosarcoma (HSA) and revealed survival benefits to patients treated with precision therapeutics. These findings highlight the value of using genomic profiling to personalize targeted therapy selection for canine cancer, as well as for genetically analogous human cancers, like human angiosarcoma. "This study demonstrates the power of precision medicine in oncology, which we have known for decades is key in human patients, and now adds the dimension of cross-species comparisons," said George Demetri, MD, professor of medicine at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School. "We're seeing tangible benefits of tailoring treatments to a dog's specific tumor profile, which could revolutionize how we approach cancer care for our canine companions. This also opens up the future dimensions of how we might learn lessons from our companion animals that could inform our research and therapies for humans with some of the most relentless cancers that afflict both humans and dogs. A big opening is clear for new research and therapy initiatives." Hemangiosarcoma is the biggest unmet need for dogs, with patients that receive the fatal diagnosis often euthanized shortly after. The study is the first to reveal the relationships between specific genetic mutations, the use of targeted therapies, and survival outcomes for this canine cancer. The findings mark a significant advancement for precision medicine in veterinary oncology and further support the role of genomics in guiding more effective, individualized cancer care to transform one of the most aggressive cancers in dogs. Key findings include: The use of targeted therapies drove a 1.8-fold improvement in median survival compared to surgery alone; when combined with chemotherapy, this improvement increased to 2.6-fold. We can predict survival benefit and treatment response by decoding specific genetic mutations—such as p53 and PIK3CA. In particular, the study found that NRAS mutations mark a distinct and less aggressive subtype of HSA, even after accounting for co-existing, high-risk mutations—suggesting genomic subtyping can play a key role in treatment plans. This study provides rationale and proof of concept that canine HSA can be used as a preclinical "model" to investigate the human correlate, angiosarcoma, a rare cancer where clinical trials are limited by difficulty with patient recruitment and mice models are not predictive. Canine trials can inform human drug programs aimed at advancing treatments and biomarkers in this scenario. FidoCure has already played a role in angiosarcoma for humans alongside global pharma Eisai. "This study represents a major step forward in clinical care for canine hemangiosarcoma," said Christina Lopes, founder and CEO of FidoCure. "By leveraging AI, advanced genomic profiling, and targeted therapies, we are transforming a deadly cancer in dogs into a second chance at life—and gaining valuable insights for rare human cancers too." This is FidoCure's 4th peer-reviewed paper in two years and their second major study on hemangiosarcoma. The first HSA study, published in Veterinary and Comparative Oncology, was recognized as one of the Top 10 Most-Cited Articles of 2023 for the leading veterinary publication. Together, these studies provide some of the most comprehensive real-world data available for this cancer type, and they are helping to redefine what's possible in oncology—for both sides of the leash. ABOUT FIDOCURE FidoCure is an AI-driven precision oncology company transforming cancer in dogs through novel targeted therapies. FidoCure has created the world's largest canine cancer dataset, with over 2 billion data points collected from patients treated in its network of 1,350 veterinary clinics worldwide. Learn more at View source version on Contacts MEDIA Sam Polsteinfidocure@ Sign in to access your portfolio
Business Wire
14-05-2025
- Health
- Business Wire
FidoCure Study Unlocks Breakthroughs in Deadliest Dog Cancer
PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Researchers at FidoCure and Stanford University have published a peer-reviewed article in Nature Scientific Reports titled, "Real-world evidence couples genomic biomarkers with therapeutic outcomes for canine hemangiosarcoma,' revealing how genomic profiling and targeted therapies can significantly improve patient outcomes for the largest unmet need for dogs: cancer. The study analyzed data from 508 pet dog patients enrolled in the FidoCure ® Precision Medicine Platform with splenic hemangiosarcoma (HSA) and revealed survival benefits to patients treated with precision therapeutics. These findings highlight the value of using genomic profiling to personalize targeted therapy selection for canine cancer, as well as for genetically analogous human cancers, like human angiosarcoma. "This study demonstrates the power of precision medicine in oncology, which we have known for decades is key in human patients, and now adds the dimension of cross-species comparisons," said George Demetri, MD, professor of medicine at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School. "We're seeing tangible benefits of tailoring treatments to a dog's specific tumor profile, which could revolutionize how we approach cancer care for our canine companions. This also opens up the future dimensions of how we might learn lessons from our companion animals that could inform our research and therapies for humans with some of the most relentless cancers that afflict both humans and dogs. A big opening is clear for new research and therapy initiatives." Hemangiosarcoma is the biggest unmet need for dogs, with patients that receive the fatal diagnosis often euthanized shortly after. The study is the first to reveal the relationships between specific genetic mutations, the use of targeted therapies, and survival outcomes for this canine cancer. The findings mark a significant advancement for precision medicine in veterinary oncology and further support the role of genomics in guiding more effective, individualized cancer care to transform one of the most aggressive cancers in dogs. Key findings include: The use of targeted therapies drove a 1.8-fold improvement in median survival compared to surgery alone; when combined with chemotherapy, this improvement increased to 2.6-fold. We can predict survival benefit and treatment response by decoding specific genetic mutations—such as p53 and PIK3CA. In particular, the study found that NRAS mutations mark a distinct and less aggressive subtype of HSA, even after accounting for co-existing, high-risk mutations—suggesting genomic subtyping can play a key role in treatment plans. This study provides rationale and proof of concept that canine HSA can be used as a preclinical 'model' to investigate the human correlate, angiosarcoma, a rare cancer where clinical trials are limited by difficulty with patient recruitment and mice models are not predictive. Canine trials can inform human drug programs aimed at advancing treatments and biomarkers in this scenario. FidoCure has already played a role in angiosarcoma for humans alongside global pharma Eisai. "This study represents a major step forward in clinical care for canine hemangiosarcoma," said Christina Lopes, founder and CEO of FidoCure. "By leveraging AI, advanced genomic profiling, and targeted therapies, we are transforming a deadly cancer in dogs into a second chance at life—and gaining valuable insights for rare human cancers too.' This is FidoCure's 4th peer-reviewed paper in two years and their second major study on hemangiosarcoma. The first HSA study, published in Veterinary and Comparative Oncology, was recognized as one of the Top 10 Most-Cited Articles of 2023 for the leading veterinary publication. Together, these studies provide some of the most comprehensive real-world data available for this cancer type, and they are helping to redefine what's possible in oncology—for both sides of the leash. ABOUT FIDOCURE FidoCure is an AI-driven precision oncology company transforming cancer in dogs through novel targeted therapies. FidoCure has created the world's largest canine cancer dataset, with over 2 billion data points collected from patients treated in its network of 1,350 veterinary clinics worldwide. Learn more at
New York Times
29-01-2025
- Health
- New York Times
7 Big Questions About Cancer, Answered
Every day, billions of cells in our body divide or die off. It's all part of the intricate processes that keep blood flowing from our heart, food moving through our gut and our skin regenerating. Once in a while, though, something goes awry, and cells that should stop growing or die simply don't. Left unchecked, those cells can turn into cancer. The question of when and why, exactly, that happens — and what can be done to stop it — has long stumped cancer scientists and physicians. Despite the unanswered questions that remain, they have made enormous strides in understanding and treating cancer. 'We're a lot less fearful about telling patients what we do and don't know, because we know a lot more,' said Dr. George Demetri, senior vice president for experimental therapeutics at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Here are some of the biggest questions about cancer that scientists have started to answer. Why do some genetic mutations lead to cancer while others don't? Scientists used to think that genetic mutations — changes to the letter sequence of your DNA — were the foundation of all cancers. They were only partly right. 'Mutations are very important — but they're not the entire explanation for a tumor,' said Douglas Hanahan, a distinguished scholar at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research in Lausanne, Switzerland. Some mutations remain dormant our whole lives, never leading to cancer. It's now clear that, separate from DNA mutations, there are other factors that alter how genes are expressed. These are called epigenetic changes, and scientists have discovered that they play a huge role in driving cancer. Scientists don't fully understand what leads to epigenetic changes, but aging, dietary and environmental exposures, and chronic inflammation are all thought to be possible culprits. Can pollution give people cancer? What about microplastics? Scientists have long known that some chemicals, like asbestos and radon, or like those in cigarette smoke and alcohol, can cause cancer. But in recent years, some emerging research has raised alarms about the risks of air pollution and microplastics, and of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. The science on these is still far from settled. 'There are signals that these things may be carcinogenic, but which cancers, when and how is where we have to get a lot more information,' said Dr. W. Kimryn Rathmell, the former director of the National Cancer Institute. The evidence is strongest for air pollution. Fine particulate matter, known as PM 2.5, has been shown to increase risk for lung and breast cancers, said Dr. Loretta Erhunmwunsee, an associate professor of thoracic surgery at City of Hope, a national cancer research and treatment organization. How much pollution you have been exposed to, and for how long, likely matters. Research shows that Black people in the United States are exposed to disproportionately high levels of air pollution; they also have higher rates of lung cancer and of death from the disease than other racial groups do. We now understand that 'social context really does drive a lot of the cancer outcomes that we see, and actually even the development and cancer risk itself,' Dr. Erhunmwunsee said. How is inflammation related to all this? For years, scientists searched for chemicals in our diets and environment that caused genetic mutations. But it's becoming clear that if such exposures affect our cancer risk, they likely do so by provoking inflammation — not by directly damaging DNA, explained Robert Weinberg, a professor of biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Take the gut: Eating an unhealthy diet can upset the balance of our microbiome, allowing certain bacteria to grow unchecked. Scientists think this may cause chronic inflammation, which can lead to colon or pancreatic cancers, said Dr. Davendra Sohal, an oncologist at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center who specializes in gastrointestinal cancers. Inflammation can also promote cancer in cells that have already mutated. PM 2.5 particles, for instance, have been shown to induce inflammation in the lungs, waking up dormant mutant cells to fuel tumor formation. What gives tumors the power to grow unchecked? Cancer is not just a group of abnormal cells growing in a way they shouldn't. Scientists now recognize that tumors are complex tissues made up of cancer cells as well as normal cells that have been recruited to support their growth. Many of these normal cells are the same type of immune cells that will flood the site of an injury or infection to help heal that wound — by helping new cells multiply, generating blood vessels, stimulating new connective tissue and avoiding attacks from other parts of the immune system. These are capabilities that cancer cells can co-opt indefinitely to support their own growth. 'Tumors are wounds that don't heal,' Dr. Hanahan said, citing a paradigm-shifting observation first made in the 1980s by the Harvard pathologist Dr. Harold Dvorak. Much about how tumors metastasize — spread and take up residence in faraway sites — still remains a mystery, said Dr. Kevin Cheung, an associate professor of hematology and oncology at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle, Washington. His research recently showed that dead and dying cells within a tumor might create an environment that makes it easier for living tumor cells to get out and spread. Other research has suggested that immune cells might transfer their contents to tumor cells to make them more invasive. What risk factors are actually in our control? Many cancers form for reasons that are completely out of our hands. 'There will always be some cancers, even if we had the best prevention,' Dr. Rathmell said. But prevention can make a huge difference. Epidemiologists now estimate that 40 percent of cancers, and a similar share of cancer deaths, can be attributed to risk factors that people can address. The biggest of these is cigarette smoking, but the list also includes sun exposure, alcohol use and excess body weight. Some infections, including those caused by the hepatitis B and C viruses, human papillomavirus and H. pylori bacteria, can also cause certain cancers. Getting vaccinated for HPV and screened for hepatitis and H. pylori can reduce the risk. What's the right way to treat it? Just a few decades ago, cancer treatment involved a fair amount of guesswork. 'We were kind of just pushing poisons and hoping for the best,' Dr. Demetri said. Now, though, oncologists have a clearer idea of who might benefit from chemotherapy — which delivers toxins that kill healthy cells in addition to cancer cells — and who might benefit from a more targeted treatment, like a drug that goes after a specific defective protein in a cancer. Doctors also have better treatments, thanks in part to a more advanced understanding of the immune system's role in cancer. 'How the immune system works, what makes those cells different, what makes them active, what makes them dormant, when they get tuned up and tuned back — you had to know all that before you could try to play with the controls,' Dr. Rathmell said. Being able to play with those controls has opened up a whole new field of cancer treatment, known as immunotherapy. Doctors can now take the brakes off T cells — the immune system fighters that kill cancer cells — with checkpoint inhibitor therapies used to treat lung and skin cancers, among many others. They can also engineer T cells to find and fight cancer. This is the approach behind CAR T-cell therapy, which has been most effective at treating blood cancers. Is cancer ever curable? Although people might think of a cancer as 'cured' once someone is in remission, doctors have historically been reluctant to promise they could get rid of a person's cancer completely. 'We never dared to use the word 'cure,'' said Dr. Marcel van den Brink, president of City of Hope National Medical Center. But newer treatments, like stem cell transplants and CAR T, have given him and other physicians more hope. 'It has been a sea change from, 'You will die from this cancer,' to, 'We have a litany of available, exciting therapies that we're going to work through,'' Dr. Rathmell said. Even with no evidence of disease, some cancers can come back — and in those cases doctors are more cautious about potential outcomes. Still, there is reason for optimism. Cancer death rates have plummeted over the last 30 years. We now have medications that target cancer-causing genes that were long considered impossible to treat. Certain cancers used to be 'death sentences,' Dr. Sohal said. Now they are more akin to diabetes, a complicated disease that can be treated with manageable side effects: 'People live with the disease for a long time,' he said.
