Grant: Project Grant

Recent work has shown that patients with cancer often have tumors that are composed of several different types of cancer cells, each with a slightly different set of genetic mutations. This variability, or "heterogeneity", means that successful therapy must target not just one, but perhaps several different cancers at the same time. As well, there is renewed appreciation for the importance of the patient's own immune system in defeating cancer, and some therapies are even focused at reawakening the patient's immune cells to attack the cancer. Thus, cancer can no longer be regarded simply as an overgrowth of one particular type of cell, but may better be considered as a complex ecosystem with multiple interconnected and constantly evolving parts. In order to diagnose cancer more accurately and to treat it more effectively, it is important that we understand the full complexity of the tumor ecosystem. We propose here to use a cutting-edge technology called mass cytometry , or "CyTOF", to examine patients' tumors one cell at a time in order to get an ultra high definition, widescreen picture of the problem at hand. We will also use the most up-to-date genomics tools to understand which genes are mutated in which cells and how those cells are functioning abnormally. We will use this information to develop a new, cost-effective, same-day test that can be provided to each and every patient and will help doctors to better understand what sort of tumor is present, if and how well the patient's immune system is responding, and what the best treatment options may be.