Gynaecological sarcomas (GS) start in the female reproductive organs and grow and spread very quickly. Unlike other gynaecological cancers that have seen improved survival rates in recent years, GS patients still have poor outcomes. Few targeted therapies for GS are clinically approved, meaning treatment options are limited. So, we need less toxic and better treatments to improve survival rates for patients with GS.
How will this project tackle this challenge?
One of the reasons that sarcomas are challenging to treat is that we do not fully understand their biology. This means that we don’t have the knowledge to develop new drugs to stop the cancer growing and spreading. There is also no way to tell who is most likely to benefit from treatment. By undertaking detailed analyses of the biological features of gynaecological sarcomas, we can facilitate the discovery of new therapies and biomarkers. These are biological indicators of how a cancer is progressing or responding to treatment.
The team will study the protein composition and immune cells in 98 GS tumours from The Royal Marsden Hospital. Firstly, the team will carry out molecular analysis of surgical tissue from gynaecological sarcoma patients to spot possible drug targets. They will also look for protein signatures. These show the different types and amounts of proteins that are found in the sarcoma samples. Next, the team will work out if these protein signatures combined with immune cell profiles can predict which patients are at higher risk of their sarcoma coming back or spreading.
What this means for people affected by sarcoma
Most drugs work by blocking proteins in cancer cells so these studies will provide a direct link to the discovery of new drug targets. If successful, this project will lead to the development of new treatments for GS patients in the long term. It will also generate a knowledge bank of biological data for the sarcoma community. Finally, it could help doctors choose the best therapies for individual patients, ultimately improving patient outcomes.
By undertaking detailed analyses of the biological features of gynaecological sarcomas, we can facilitate the discovery of new therapies and biomarkers.
Sarcomas gynecological (GS) ni ugonjwa wa wanawake ambao huanza katika viungo vya uzazi vya wanawake na kukua na kuenea haraka sana. Tofauti na saratani nyingine za wanawake ambazo zimeona viwango vya kuishi vimeboreshwa katika miaka ya hivi karibuni, wagonjwa wa GS bado wana matokeo mabaya. Kuna matibabu machache ya GS ambayo yamekubaliwa kliniki, na hivyo kuna matibabu machache. Kwa hivyo, tunahitaji matibabu yasiyo na sumu na bora ili kuboresha viwango vya kuishi kwa wagonjwa wenye GS. Mradi huu utawezaje kukabiliana na tatizo hilo? Mojawapo ya sababu za sarcomas kuwa vigumu kutibu ni kwamba hatuelewi kikamili biolojia yao. Hii inamaanisha kwamba hatuna maarifa ya kuendeleza dawa mpya za kuzuia kansa kukua na kuenea. Pia hakuna njia ya kujua ni nani anayeweza kufaidika zaidi kutokana na matibabu. Kwa kufanya uchambuzi wa kina wa sifa za kibiolojia za sarcomas za wanawake, tunaweza kuwezesha ugunduzi wa tiba mpya na biomarkers. Hizi ni viashiria vya kibiolojia vya jinsi kansa inavyoendelea au kujibu matibabu. Timu hiyo itasoma muundo wa protini na seli za kinga katika uvimbe wa 98 GS kutoka Hospitali ya Royal Marsden. Kwanza, timu hiyo itafanya uchambuzi wa molekuli ya tishu za upasuaji kutoka kwa wagonjwa wa sarcoma ya wanawake ili kugundua malengo ya dawa. Pia watachunguza protini zinazotumiwa. Hizi huonyesha aina tofauti na kiasi cha protini zinazopatikana katika sampuli za sarcoma. "Kisha, timu hiyo itachunguza ikiwa saini hizi za protini pamoja na maelezo ya seli za kinga zinaweza kutabiri ni wagonjwa gani walio na hatari kubwa ya sarcoma yao kurudi au kuenea. """ "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, sarcoma ni ugonjwa wa sarcomas ambayo huathiri watu wengi, na kwa hivyo, dawa nyingi hufanya kazi kwa kuzuia protini katika seli za sarcomas, na kwa hivyo utafiti huu utatoa kiungo cha moja kwa moja kwa ugunduzi wa madawa mapya ya kulevya. """ Ikiwa mradi huu utafanikiwa, utaongoza kwenye maendeleo ya matibabu mapya kwa wagonjwa wa GS kwa muda mrefu. Pia itazalisha benki ya maarifa ya data ya kibiolojia kwa jamii ya sarcoma. Mwishowe, inaweza kusaidia madaktari kuchagua matibabu bora kwa wagonjwa mmoja-mmoja, hatimaye kuboresha matokeo ya wagonjwa. Kwa kufanya uchambuzi wa kina wa sifa za kibiolojia za sarcomas za wanawake, tunaweza kuwezesha ugunduzi wa tiba mpya na biomarkers.