Fighting cancer from within
SAiGENCI’s Tumour Inflammation and Immunotherapy team Dr Ruby Dawson, PhD, Dr Mohamed Saad, PhD and Professor Brendan J Jenkins PhD (Program Head)
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Australia, taking the lives of an estimated 8,900 people last year alone.
Despite advances in treatment, the survival rate remains devastatingly low. Too often, patients are faced with limited options as their cancer becomes resistant to therapy, or they experience some side effects.
At SAiGENCI (South Australian immunoGENomics Cancer Institute), our Tumour Inflammation and Immunotherapy Program (TIIP), is working to change this reality. Our research is uncovering new ways to treat lung cancer by understanding its root causes – especially those related to the immune system – and developing immunotherapy treatments.
Your donation today could help fund the research that saves lives.
Fighting cancer from within: your immune system may hold the key
In May we held our annual public lecture. In this session, our researchers shared the latest developments in tackling lung, pancreatic and stomach (gastric) cancer — among the most lethal cancers worldwide.
The lecture also uncovers new insights into how chronic inflammation fuels cancer and how targeting the immune system’s innate response could pave the way for revolutionary treatments.
Life-saving research
"Lung cancer remains one of the most lethal and common cancers worldwide. While smoking is a primary cause, a growing number of people are diagnosed with lung cancer having never smoked, with environmental and genetic factors playing a role," Professor Christopher Sweeney said.
"Current treatments, including immunotherapies and targeted therapies, have improved outcomes, but their effectiveness is often short-lived due to resistance and side effects."
"At SAiGENCI, we are taking a new approach to immunotherapy by focusing on the body’s innate immune system – the first line of defence – rather than the adaptive immune system, which attacks and destroys cancer cells. Our research has found that overactivation of certain immune system regulators can trigger chronic inflammation, which contributes to lung cancer development and resistance to therapy. Our goal is to develop strategies to prevent lung cancer or develop new therapies to control established cancers."
If successful, this could open the door to new, more effective treatments that prevent lung cancer at its source.Professor Christopher Sweeney, Director, SAiGENCI
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