Funded by the V Foundation’s 30th Anniversary Gala Event
There is a new kind of cancer treatment called immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) that helps the body fight cancer by making the immune system stronger. Doctors use ICB with chemotherapy to treat triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), but it doesn’t always work for everyone, so we need to find better ways to help these patients.
Scientists are studying tiny living things called microorganisms, like bacteria, that live in and on our bodies. These microorganisms can help us stay healthy and fight diseases. New research suggests that the gut microbiome—the collection of microorganisms in the digestive tract—might influence how well these treatments work. Some types of bacteria can help people respond better to the ICB treatment because they release beneficial metabolites.
In this project, scientists want to see if probiotics (which are good bacteria) or the beneficial metabolites they make can make the cancer treatment work better. They will look at samples from patients before and after treatment to see if these good bacteria and metabolites are helping.
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