By: Teresa Brooke-Lynn Coe, MHSc
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, approximately 655 Canadians are diagnosed with cancer every day, with over 230,000 diagnosed every year. As the number of people living with or beyond cancer increases, research efforts continue to surge to find new solutions to improve cancer diagnosis, treatment, and management.
May is Cancer Research Awareness Month – in acknowledgement, we wanted to highlight some of the cutting-edge cancer research happening in Canada right now! While cancer research is diverse in Canada, four topics are currently front and centre, including (1) Harnessing the Immune System, (2) the Power of Artificial Intelligence, (3) Precision Medicine in Cancer, and (4) Access to Better Services.
Topic #1 – Harnessing the Immune System:
Cancerous tumours are foreign to the body, which prompts the immune system to identify the cancer and attack it. However, many cancers interact with immune cells or other players in their microenvironment to resist or escape immune system attacks. For this reason, immunotherapies have become a promising way to overcome cancer’s immune trickery tactics and amplify the body’s immune response to target and attack cancer. You can read more in one of our other articles on Harnessing the Power of the Immune System to Target Melanoma. Here are some examples of Canadian research looking to optimize immune system response to help treat cancer:
Dr. Anastasia Tikhonova from the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, ON is conducting a project called Harnessing the Immune System to Improve Treatment Outcomes in High-Risk Leukemia (ongoing).
This project investigates aggressive forms of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a cancer originating in the bone marrow before it invades the bloodstream. Dr. Tokhonova and her team aim to understand why current treatments, including immunotherapies, fail and hope to develop less invasive, and more effective approaches. Notably, different forms of ALL trigger different immune responses which can cause potential issues for immunotherapies targeting ALL. As such, the research team wants to investigate immune cell activity and behaviour in the bone marrow to learn how treatments can utilize a patient’s immune reactions to benefit their treatment outcomes. For more information check out this article from the Terry Fox Research Institute (TFRI).
Dr. Julian Lum from the Deeley Cancer Center in Victoria, BC is working on the Spatial Metabolome Hubble Project (MetaboHub) to decipher tumour immunosuppression (ongoing).
Consisting of multiple sub-projects, this project aims to understand how solid tumour cancers escape and suppress the immune system by exploring how cancer affects the levels of nutrients, called metabolites. These changes affect the function and activity of immune cells, and thus their ability to attack cancer cells. To understand the role of nutrients in immune trickery, the research team is using a variety of visualization and spatial mapping technologies. You can read more on this project from the TFRI.
Topic #2 – The Power of Artificial Intelligence:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is playing a more and more pivotal role in revolutionizing cancer research. AI technologies add immense power to analyze vast datasets to identify patterns and insights that might elude human researchers. Offsets of AI technology, such as deep learning algorithms, can recognize complex patterns in medical images like X-rays and MRIs, aiding in the early detection and diagnosis of cancer. Others, like machine learning algorithms, can help predict patient outcomes and personalize treatment plans, significantly advancing the field of precision medicine in cancer. Here are some examples of Canadian research looking to use AI technologies to help diagnose and treat cancer:
Dr. Joe Yang and colleagues from Western University, the University of Toronto, and the Ontario Institute of Cancer Research (OICR) have recently published a paper titled Deep Learning System for True- and Pseudo-Invasion in Colorectal Polyps in the Scientific Reports journal.
In this paper, the research team outline the software they created called AI4Path, which uses complex computational algorithms to identify subtle differences in cancerous and non-cancerous colon tissues with comparable accuracy to human technicians. This tool will help reduce laboratory workload and streamline workflow, allowing for faster results for patients. For more information check out this article from the OICR.
In January of this year, Dr. Alexander Bahcheli and colleagues from the University of Toronto, the Hospital for Sick Children, and the OICR published a paper in the EMBO Journal, called Pan-Cancer Ion Transport Signature Reveals Functional Regulators of Glioblastoma Aggression.
This research group applied the power of machine learning to analyze the presence of proteins called ion channels in tumour samples to identify therapeutic targets across multiple cancers. From this, the team created a catalogue of these proteins associated with various cancers. Notably, this enabled distinct associations and insights into brain cancer, which can be difficult to study and treat. This research not only provides specific insights into cancer mechanisms and drug development but also demonstrates the capability of AI to streamline cancer research efforts and precision medicine in cancer. For more information check out this article from the OICR.
Topic #3 – Precision Medicine in Cancer:
Precision medicine stands at the forefront of cancer research, harnessing the power of DNA. As tumours develop, their genetic composition changes as well. As such, by analyzing the DNA changes in tumours, researchers can identify specific genetic changes that drive cancer growth, aid in therapy resistance, and allow for recurrence or metastasis (cancer spreading to other areas). Overall, this information about individual tumours paves the way for more targeted therapy plans. By identifying such factors, new treatments can be designed to precisely eliminate cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue, leading to more effective and less toxic interventions. The integration of DNA information into cancer care improves treatment outcomes and opens doors to innovative therapies that hold promise for even the most challenging cases. Here are some examples of Canadian research adding to the precision medicine movement:
Dr. Courtney Jones from the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, ON is leading a project called The Contribution of Metabolism to Therapy Resistance and Relapse (ongoing).
This project aims to understand the function and activity of cancer cells responsible for cancer relapse after initial treatment, called initiating cancer stem cells. These cells have a specific metabolism, or the way they process and interact with nutrients in their environment, that helps them survive treatments. As such, the research team aims to target specific nutrient pathways that these cells are using to survive in hopes of deciphering new therapies. For more information check out this article from the TFRI.
Drs. Grant Brown and Tajinder Ubhi from the University of Toronto recently published a paper titled Cytidine Deaminases APOBEC3C and APOBEC3D Promote DNA Replication Stress Resistance in Pancreatic Cancer Cells in Nature Cancer Journal.
Through this research, two proteins, called enzymes, were identified as key players in pancreatic cancer resistance to chemotherapy treatment. Pancreatic cancer is known to be an aggressive cancer, so the research team aimed to understand the processes involved in its aggressive behaviour. By looking at a patient’s entire DNA strand, they found that pancreatic cancer cells increased the production of two enzymes which allows the cells to continue replication and grow, even in the presence of strong chemotherapies. This identifies these enzymes as promising new treatment targets, allowing for improved pancreatic cancer treatment and better outcomes for patients.You can read more about this research from UofT News.
Topic #4 – Better Access to Services:
Ensuring equitable, timely, and effective access to cancer screening, testing, and treatment is paramount for research to make meaningful changes to standard care. It is highly agreed upon by experts, that the earlier cancer is detected, the sooner treatment can start, allowing for better outcomes to be achieved. With that in mind, research looking into new and effective ways to test for cancer earlier is a central focus, enabling more people to have access to treatment sooner. What’s more, research focusing on improved access can also provide informed, evidence-based information that can help steer healthcare systems and policymakers. The decisions they make affect the implementation of new testing, innovative treatment technologies and techniques, as well as funding for testing programs. Overall, this type of research strives for everyone to receive top-of-the-line and up-to-date care. Here are some examples of cancer research aiming to increase access to cancer diagnoses and treatments:
Dr. Sushant Kumar from the Princess Margaret Cancer Center is conducting a project called the Integrative Computational Framework for Precision Cancer Prevention and Early Detection (ongoing).
This project aims to create a cancer screening tool to help with the early detection of cancer by analyzing the entire DNA sequence of people to identify inherited and age-related genetic changes involved in transforming healthy tissue into cancerous tissue. By creating a reliable computational tool to flag individuals with these changes, patients will be able to gain increased access to screening programs, allowing for early detection and better long-term outcomes. You can read more on this project from the TFRI.
Drs. Avram Denburg and David Malkin from The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto are conducting a project called Access to Precision Therapies for Young People with Cancer: From Genomic Innovation to Health System Implementation (ongoing).
This project aims to create a policy framework that helps guide Canadian healthcare centres on the seamless and sustainable adoption of precision medicine approaches for pediatric cancer patients. This framework will outline ways to maximize healthcare spending towards better patient access to personalized medicine and state-of-the-art treatments. You can read more about this research on the TFRI website.
Along with being a Toronto RIOT member, Teresa Brooke-Lynn Coe is an MHSc candidate in the Medical Genomics Program at the University of Toronto. Her work focuses on addressing inequities in the delivery of genomic healthcare across Canada, including cancer care. She has also worked as the Communications Manager for the Medical Genomics Program for the past year, as she has a passion for making innovative science interesting and accessible to all audiences.
References:
Canadian Cancer Society. Cancer statistics at a glance. (2023) Accessed: April 18th 2024. URL: https://cancer.ca/en/research/cancer-statistics/cancer-statistics-at-a-glance?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzPOLuuLdhQMVANTCBB1lWAk2EAAYASAAEgLt_PD_BwE
Yang, J., Chen, L., Liu, E. et al. Deep learning system for true- and pseudo-invasion in colorectal polyps. Sci Rep 14, 426 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-50681-5
Bahcheli, A.T., Min, H-K., Bayati, M. et al. Pan-cancer ion transport signature reveals functional regulators of glioblastoma aggression.EMBO Journal 43, 196-224 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44318-023-00016-x
Ubhi, T., Zaslaver, O., Quaile, A.T. et al. Cytidine deaminases APOBEC3C and APOBEC3D promote DNA replication stress resistance in pancreatic cancer cells. Nat Cancer (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43018-024-00742-z
Terry Fox Research Institute. Terry Fox Investigator Awards (2024) Accessed: April 18th, 2024. URL: https://www.tfri.ca/funding-opportunities/funding-programs/program/new-investigator-program
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