HOUSTON, NOVEMBER 20, 2025 ― At The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center , research breakthroughs are made possible through seamless collaboration between the institution's world-leading clinicians and scientists, bringing discoveries from the lab to the clinic and back. The studies below showcase the latest advances in cancer care, research and prevention.
Traces of bacteria inside brain tumors may affect tumor behavior
Read the full release | Read the study in Nature Medicine
Researchers have uncovered unexpected traces of bacteria within brain tumors . The data revealed that bacterial genetic and cellular elements were present inside brain tumor cells and across the tumor microenvironment. These bacterial components appeared biologically active, potentially influencing tumor behavior and progression in patients with gliomas and brain metastases. The multi-institutional study was led by Golnaz Morad, D.D.S, Ph.D. , postdoctoral research fellow in Surgical Oncology , and Jennifer Wargo, M.D. , professor of Surgical Oncology and Genomic Medicine and core member of the James P. Allison Institute™ – working in close collaboration with MD Anderson's Platform for Innovative Microbiome and Translational Research (PRIME-TR) , the Cancer Neuroscience Program and other institutional programs.
"This work opens a new dimension in our understanding of brain tumor biology," Wargo said. "By mapping how microbial elements influence the brain tumor microenvironment, we may be able to identify new therapeutic strategies to improve outcomes for patients facing these devastating diseases."
Inflammation may be responsible for driving earliest stages of lung cancer
Read the full release | Read the study in Cancer Cell
By creating high-resolution cellular and molecular visual maps of lung cancer before and during development, researchers discovered that the earliest stages of lung cancer may be driven by inflammation, suggesting that targeting proinflammatory pathways could be an early intervention approach. The study generated spatial transcriptomic maps in precancerous and more advanced stages of lung cancer to provide a deeper understanding of early lung cancer development. The research was led by Humam Kadara, Ph.D. , professor of Translational Molecular Pathology , and Linghua Wang, M.D., Ph.D. , professor of Genomic Medicine , associate member of the James P. Allison Institute™ and focus area co-lead with the Institute for Data Science in Oncology .
"We find that the earliest cells that give rise to lung cancer are in regions with very high inflammation and are surrounded by proinflammatory cells. Targeting inflammation by neutralizing a driver called IL-1B reduces these precursor cells of lung cancer," Kadara said. "Our work paves the way for targeting inflammation to intercept the earliest stages of lung cancer and impact patient lives."
Study uncovers hidden class of BRCA1 mutations and a potential way to target them
Read the full release | Read the study in Molecular Cell
Researchers identified a new role for heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) in cancer predisposition and treatment resistance. HSP90 buffers BRCA1 mutations, masking their negative effects and delaying breast cancer onset. This buffering creates a vulnerability in cancer cells, revealing a potential therapeutic strategy in which targeting HSP90 could be used to overcome treatment resistance. The study, led by Georgios Karras, Ph.D. , associate professor of Genetics , identifies predictive features of HSP90 buffering in patients with specific mutations in BRCA1 that may help personalize diagnosis, prognosis and combination treatments to improve outcomes.
"Mutations are not all the same. Understanding the mechanisms that distinguish them can improve our ability to predict clinical outcomes and to target mutations more effectively in patients," Karras said.
Researchers identify rare mutation that predicts strong immunotherapy response in colorectal cancer
Read the full release | Read the study in The Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer
Researchers showed that a specific subset of mutations in the POLE gene is strongly associated with durable responses to immunotherapy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). This type of mutation, called loss-of-proofreading (LOP) mutations, affects specific functions of the POLE protein. The study, led by John Paul Shen, M.D. , assistant professor in Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology , and Giulia Maddalena, M.D., Ph.D. , former graduate student and attending physician, aimed to help identify and predict which patients benefit from immune checkpoint therapy, avoiding potentially ineffective treatments for those with non-LOP POLE mutations.
"Not all POLE mutations behave the same. By refining how we classify POLE subtypes, we can better select patients who will experience the most meaningful benefit from immune checkpoint therapy," Shen said.
Honors and awards
- Susan Bullman, Ph.D. , associate professor of Immunology and associate member of MD Anderson's James P. Allison Institute ™, was awarded the Gianni Bonadonna Prize from the Gianni Bonadonna Foundation
- MD Anderson was awarded the 2025 Organizational Award by the Academy of Oncology Nurse and Patient Navigators (AONN+) for supporting the critical role of oncology navigators
