Roswell Park Scientists Contribute to Understanding of Novel Class of Cancer-Targeting Agents

Researchers in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center offer greater clarity of how a novel class of cancer-targeting agents called BET (Bromodomain and Extra-Terminal) inhibitors stimulate cell death in laboratory models of human cancers, specifically B-cell lymphomas. These findings were reported in a recent issue of issue of Cell Death and Disease.

Senior author of the research, Leigh Ellis, PhD, says, “Our findings are significant and timely as they add vital knowledge for clinical decisions regarding precision medicine strategies for patients with aggressive, treatment-resistant, B-cell lymphomas.”

Approximately 85% of patients diagnosed with lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, have B-cell lymphoma. Patients with aggressive, treatment resistant, B-cell lymphomas have limited therapeutic options. These patients develop resistance due to the ability of cancer cells to evade the mechanisms by which available therapies usually kill the patient’s lymphoma cells.

This research shows that BET inhibitors can kill B-cell lymphomas that are resistant to standard of care treatments. The Roswell Park scientists also provided new insights into how BET inhibitors are capable of killing cancer cells and demonstrated their promise as a potential anti-cancer therapy option for patients with treatment-resistant B-cell lymphoma.

Dr. Ellis continues, “This study offers a greater understanding of how BET inhibitors’ mechanisms can generate strong clinical responses, including cancer cell death, and thus provides valuable insights into how to best use BET inhibitors alone or in combination with other treatment strategies.”