Advances in Cancer Care: Potentially Powerful New Treatment and Improving Screening for Chicago Communities
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A team of UIC researchers led by Dr. Tohru Yamada, associate professor in the departments of surgery and biomedical engineering, has tested and patented a novel approach to combating tumor growth. The treatment uses a peptide named aurB that works by limiting the cell’s ability to produce energy by entering its mitochondria and binding to a molecule necessary for synthesis of cellular energy. Used in combination with radiation therapy in preclinical tests, aurB significantly decreased tumor growth with no apparent toxicity.
Another study recently conducted through the UI Health Mile Square Health Center promises to improve prostate cancer outcomes among high-risk communities with majority Black patient populations. In the past, concerns about overdiagnosis and unnecessary treatment have led to a reduced emphasis on PSA testing. However, Black men tend to develop aggressive prostate cancer at younger age, and at 2 to 3 times higher than the national rate. This “Smart PSA” study, led by Dr. Peter Gann of the College of Medicine department of pathology and co-authored by Mile Square Health Center Chief Medical and Quality Officer Dr. Nathan Stackhouse, is developing cancer screening guidelines specifically adapted for high-risk communities.