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Cancer
Could milk-derived nanoparticles change bile duct cancer care?
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Bile duct cancer, also called cholangiocarcinoma, is rare, difficult to diagnose and often resistant to existing treatments. This episode of "Tomorrow's Cure" explores why researchers are pursuing new approaches, including an experimental platform that uses milk-derived nanoparticles to deliver gene therapy directly to cancer cells.
In the episode, Rory Smoot, M.D., a hepatobiliary and pancreas surgeon at Mayo Clinic, explains that cholangiocarcinoma often develops without obvious symptoms until it reaches an advanced stage. Although researchers have made progress with targeted therapies and immunotherapy, many patients still have limited treatment options.
"We're now starting the conversations with the FDA about next steps, because people have not made drugs out of milk before," Dr. Smoot says, describing the early-stage research.
He explains that the naturally occurring nanoparticles found in milk could serve as a delivery vehicle for gene therapies designed to target cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. Although the research remains in the clinical stage, researchers are now working to optimize gene targets and evaluate the approach across multiple forms of cholangiocarcinoma.
The episode also features Melinda Bachini, chief patient officer for the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, who shares her experience as a stage 4 survivor after participating in an experimental clinical trial. Her story underscores both the promise of research and the patience required as potential new therapies move through clinical trials and the regulatory process.
Looking ahead, Dr. Smoot envisions a future in which treatments are tailored to each patient's tumor.
"In my perfect world ... it would be truly personalized care," he says, describing a potential approach that could match targeted therapies to the unique biology of a person's cancer.
The conversation also highlights the growing role of artificial intelligence in accelerating cancer research, the importance of seeking care at experienced centers for rare cancers and the critical role patients play in advancing clinical research.
Listen to the latest episode of "Tomorrow's Cure" wherever you get your podcasts. You can also explore the show's full library of episodes and guests on the show's playlist.
