LOS ANGELES — City of Hope® Research Spotlight offers a glimpse into groundbreaking scientific and clinical discoveries advancing lifesaving cures for patients with cancer, diabetes and other chronic, life-threatening diseases. Each spotlight features research-related news, such as recognitions, collaborations and the latest research defining the future of medical treatment.
To learn more about research at City of Hope, one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States with its National Medical Center ranked among the nation's top cancer centers by U.S. News & World Report, visit our newsroom .
Long-Term Survival Boost for Advanced Prostate Cancer Patients
Adding docetaxel chemotherapy to standard hormone therapy significantly boosts long-term survival for men with advanced prostate cancer, according to new research led by City of Hope associate professor Abhishek Tripathi , M.D. The Annals of Oncology study found that patients whose PSA levels dropped close to zero after six months of treatment had much better outcomes. This discovery suggests PSA levels can help doctors personalize treatment intensity, potentially reducing unnecessary side effects for some patients. The findings point to a promising strategy for improving survival and quality of life for people facing advanced prostate cancer.
Targeting IL-18 May Help Patients Recover Immune Function
City of Hope researchers Andri Lemarquis, M.D., Ph.D., and Marcel van den Brink , M.D., Ph.D., discovered that after acute injury, the thymus releases immune signaling protein IL-18, which activates natural killer (NK) cells to suppress the organ's repair process. This suppression leaves patients vulnerable to infections and delays immune system recovery, especially after treatments like bone marrow transplants. The Nature Immunology study showed that blocking IL-18 or its effects on NK cells allowed the thymus to heal faster. These results highlight IL-18 as a promising target for new therapies to help patients regain immune strength. The research also cautions that IL-18-based cancer immunotherapies may have unintended effects on tissue regeneration.
New Target Identified for Pancreatic Cancer Therapy
City of Hope scientists have discovered that the protein STN1, which is often elevated in pancreatic cancer, helps cancer cells repair DNA and survive treatment. The Nucleic Acids Research study found that a common oncogene in pancreatic cancer (KRAS) increases STN1 expression. In addition, blocking STN1 makes cancer cells more sensitive to radiation, offering a promising new approach for therapy. This effect is independent of other proteins that typically form a complex with STN1, highlighting STN1 as a unique target. The research, led by City of Hope radiation oncology professor Terence Williams , M.D., Ph.D., suggests that drugs aimed at STN1 could improve outcomes for patients with KRAS-mutated cancers.
'Protein Frustration' Guides Smarter Targeted Drug Design
Scientists led by City of Hope professor Nagarajan Vaidehi , Ph.D., and assistant research professor Ning Ma, Ph.D., have discovered a new way to design medicines that break down harmful proteins. Their research shows that "protein frustration"—a kind of stress where proteins interact—can help guide the creation of PROTACs, drugs that tag unwanted proteins for removal. By studying how this stress affects protein teamwork, the researchers developed a simple measure to predict which drug designs will work best. This breakthrough, published in Nature Communications , could speed up the development of targeted treatments for tough diseases.
New Clues to How Cells Fix DNA Problems
A team led by City of Hope professors Li Zheng , Ph.D., and Binghui Shen , Ph.D., discovered that cells use two important proteins, DNA2 and MSH2, to fix complicated DNA tangles called G-quadruplexes, which often form at the protective tips of chromosomes (telomeres). If these proteins are missing or blocked, the DNA can't copy itself properly, which can make the ends of chromosomes unstable. The researchers showed that some chemicals from the environment can make these DNA knots worse, but DNA2 can still help fix them when other repair tools don't work. This discovery, published in Nature Communications , helps explain how cells keep their genetic material safe. It could also help scientists develop new ways to treat cancer in the future.
New Hope: Replacing a Missing Molecule May Stop Leukemia's Worst Stage
Researchers led by City of Hope associate professor Bin Zhang , Ph.D., assistant professor Le Xuan (Truong) Nguyen , Ph.D., and professor Guido Marcucci , M.D., have uncovered why some chronic myeloid leukemia cases suddenly become much harder to treat. They found that when a molecule called miR-142 disappears from certain stem cells, the leukemia rapidly worsens. By restoring miR-142, the scientists were able to slow down or even reverse this dangerous change in both mice and human cells. Their discovery, published in Nature Communications , shows that a single missing molecule can make a huge difference in cancer's behavior. This insight could help doctors develop better ways to stop leukemia before it becomes life-threatening.
Universal BRCA Testing Reveals Hidden Risks in Breast Cancer Patients
A City of Hope study led by Joanne Mortimer , M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.S.C.O. and Stephen Gruber , M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., found that offering genetic testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes to all women with breast cancer uncovers important risks. The research showed Hispanic women were 2.5 times more likely than non-Hispanic women to carry harmful BRCA1 mutations. Importantly, among those older than 60, some 14% had pathologic or likely pathologic variants. These findings highlight the need for universal genetic testing in all women with breast cancer regardless of age or ethnicity, not just for those with a family history or who develop breast cancer at a young age. The study, published in JAMA Network Open , suggests that broader testing could help doctors personalize care and improve outcomes for more patients.
Biggest Real-World Study Confirms Equal Effectiveness of Key Breast Cancer Drugs
A major new study led by City of Hope professor Hope Rugo , M.D., shows that three popular medicines for advanced breast cancer—palbociclib, ribociclib, and abemaciclib—work equally well when combined with hormone therapy as the first treatment for hormone sensitive advanced breast cancer. The research looked at real-world data from over 9,000 patients in the United States in the flatiron database. On average, patients lived about 23 months without their cancer getting worse, no matter which medicine they took. The group had previously showed similar overall survival between the groups. This means doctors and patients have more choices, since all three options are similarly effective in this real world study. The findings, published in ESMO Open , help guide treatment decisions for people with this type of breast cancer.
Telehealth Support Makes a Difference for Older Adults with Cancer
A team led by City of Hope professor William Dale , M.D., Ph.D., F.A.S.C.O., tested a supportive care telehealth program for older adults with advanced cancer called GAIN-S (Geriatric Assessment Intervention – Supportive Care). This program extends prior work published in JAMA-Oncology at City of Hope for the first time to a low-resource setting via telehealth. The results showed that patients who used GAIN-S felt less worried and more emotionally prepared to deal with their illness. They also reported feeling stronger, better able to complete daily tasks and more spiritual after joining the program. Although most patients still didn't know if their metastatic cancer was curable, those in GAIN-S were better at coping with tough news. This study, published in Cancer , highlights how geriatric assessment with supportive care can help older adults live better with cancer.
City of Hope's Homegrown AI Makes Cancer Data Searches Faster and Smarter
A team led by City of Hope artificial intelligence and data scientists Kun-Han (Tom) Lu, Ph.D., and Sina Mehdinia, Ph.D., has developed a specialized AI model that searches cancer patient records with unmatched accuracy. Trained on more than 6 million oncology notes from over 200,000 patients, the model uses advanced deep learning technology to match doctors' questions with the most relevant information hidden in electronic health records. It serves as the foundation for HopeLLM , a suite of generative AI tools now widely utilized within City of Hope to enhance clinical and research workflows. This research is still in the preclinical stage and has not yet been used to make medical decisions. The findings, published in JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics , show promise for future tools that could help doctors and researchers get faster, more reliable oncology information from complex medical data.
Awards and Honors
Ravi Salgia, M.D., Ph.D., chair of the Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research and Arthur & Rosalie Kaplan Chair in Medical Oncology, has been named a 2025 My SoCal Hospital Hero by the Hospital Association of Southern California (HASC). This annual honor recognizes hospital employees across six Southern California counties who demonstrate extraordinary dedication to their patients, colleagues and communities. Dr. Salgia's compassion, leadership and commitment to advancing cancer care stood out among a highly competitive pool of nominees.
John Carpten, Ph.D., chief scientific officer, Irell & Manella Cancer Center Director's Distinguished Chair and Morgan & Helen Chu Director's Chair of the Beckman Research Institute, has been honored with the Cancer Health Equity Award by the Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI). This award honors individuals whose work has advanced equitable health outcomes in cancer care. Dr. Carpten was recognized for his visionary leadership and groundbreaking contributions to genome science and health disparities, driving progress through research, mentorship and community engagement.
