ROCHESTER, Minn. – Mayo Clinic researchers have discovered that a molecular communication pathway – thought to be defective in cancer – is a key player in determining the effectiveness of measles virus oncolytic cancer treatment in ovarian and aggressive brain cancers. This discovery enabled researchers to develop an algorithm to predict treatment effectiveness in individual patients. The findings appear in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

“This discovery and algorithm will allow us to personalize cancer treatment by matching the most appropriate patients with oncolytic virus therapies,” says Evanthia Galanis, M.D., senior author of the study. “We’ll also know which ones can be helped by combining cancer virotherapy with other immune approaches.

This activation channel, known as the interferon response pathway, had been considered defective in cancer cells. Not so, according to the research team. They performed tests for gene variants and signatures that would identify pathways that resisted the effectiveness of the virus-based treatments that Mayo Clinic has long been developing.

The researchers tested their algorithm on human ovarian and brain tumors transplanted into mice and patients in phase one clinical trials. What they found is a weighted gene signature that could predict treatment sensitivity and resistance. Subsequent research also showed that repurposing ruxolitinib, a drug approved to treat malignant blood disorders, was able to overcome the resistance. This drug, which targets the interferon response pathway, allows the measles virotherapy to increase effectiveness by a factor of 1,000.

The researchers say these findings will help select patients for future clinical trials involving oncolytic viruses and shape how those viruses are designed and used in medicine, including the development of effective combination therapies.

The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health, and The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation.

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About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to clinical practice, education and research, providing expert, comprehensive care to everyone who needs healing. Learn more about Mayo Clinic. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network.

Media contact:

• Bob Nellis, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu

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On the Mayo Clinic Radio podcast, Dr. Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa, chair of Neurologic Surgery at Mayo Clinic, shares his personal story from immigrant to neurosurgeon. The story of becoming "Dr. Q," as he is affectionately known, is an incredible journey that is being made into a feature film. Also on the podcast, Dr. Evanthia Galanis, chair of the Molecular Medicine Department at Mayo Clinic, explains how the measles virus is being used to fight cancer. And Dr. Rahma Warsame, an internist and researcher at Mayo Clinic, discusses the financial toxicity of cancer care.

The post #MayoClinicRadio podcast: 9/30/17 appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa, chair of Neurologic Surgery at Mayo Clinic, will share his personal journey and discuss his work as a neurosurgeon. Also on the program, Dr. Evanthia Galanis, chair of the Molecular Medicine Department at Mayo Clinic, will explain how the measles virus is being used to fight cancer. And Dr. Rahma Warsame, an internist and researcher at Mayo Clinic, will discuss the financial toxicity of cancer care.

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Follow #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

Access archived shows.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: Becoming ‘Dr. Q’ appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa, chair of Neurologic Surgery at Mayo Clinic, will share his personal journey and discuss his work as a neurosurgeon. Also on the program, Dr. Evanthia Galanis, chair of the Molecular Medicine Department at Mayo Clinic, will explain how the measles virus is being used to fight cancer. And Dr. Rahma Warsame, an internist and researcher at Mayo Clinic, will discuss the financial toxicity of cancer care.

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Follow #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

Access archived shows.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: Becoming ‘Dr. Q’ / using the measles virus to fight cancer / financial toxicity of cancer care appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

WHO: Shane Smith, CEO and founder of VICE Media, is no stranger to the impact cancer has on families. To honor his mother, a cancer survivor, Smith is establishing a $500,000 matching gift to fund cancer research at Mayo Clinic.

WHERE: Gifts qualifying for the match can be made online here.

WHEN: Gifts made between February 27 and April 28, 2015, qualify for this matching gift opportunity.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Joe Dangor, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284 5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu.

About VICE Media
VICE is a global youth media company and the industry leader in producing and distributing the best online video content in the world. Launched in 1994 as a punk magazine, VICE now operates out of 36 countries, and has expanded into a multimedia network, including the world’s premier source for original online video, VICE.COM; an international network of digital channels; a television & feature film production studio; a magazine; a record label; and a book-publishing division.

VICE’s digital channels include VICE Sports, a sports channel; MUNCHIES, a food channel; VICE News, a dedicated news channel; Noisey, a music discovery channel; The Creators Project, dedicated to the arts and creativity; Motherboard, covering cultural happenings in technology; THUMP, focusing on global dance music and culture; and Fightland, a channel dedicated to the culture of MMA. VICE acquired British fashion publication i-D in 2012 and re-launched i-D’s digital presence at i-D.co, a video-driven fashion site. In 2013, VICE launched a news-magazine series on HBO titled VICE. The Emmy Award-winning series just completed its second season; seasons three and four to air in 2015 and 2016.

About Mayo Clinic Cancer Center
As a leading institution funded by the National Cancer Institute, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center conducts basic, clinical and population science research, translating discoveries into improved methods for prevention, diagnosis, prognosis and therapy. For information on cancer clinical trials, call 1-855-776-0015 (toll-free).

About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to medical research and education, and providing expert, whole-person care to everyone who needs healing. For more information, visit http://mayocl.in/1ohJTMS, or https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/.

The post Media Advisory: VICE Media Founder Shane Smith Announces $500,000 Matching Gift to Fund Cancer Research at Mayo Clinic appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On Friday, Feb. 27 at 10 p.m. ET/10 p.m. PT, HBO will broadcast a documentary entitled Killing Cancer.

VICE founder and host Shane Smith follows pioneering researchers across the U.S. — including specialists from the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center — who are changing the face of modern-day medicine through their work with oncolytic virus therapy.

This revolutionary treatment uses HIV, measles and other viruses that have killed millions to combat cancer. You can view the trailer:

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Xx2o1atKO0
 

The post Mayo Clinic’s Measles Virus Therapy for Cancer Profiled in VICE Documentary on HBO appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.