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Speaker Professor Ben Stanger, Hanna Wise Professor in Cancer Research, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine

Title Rallying the immune system in pancreatic cancer

Host John Fadul

 

Abstract Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer care, but response to immune checkpoint inhibition is rare in pancreatic cancer. Several factors contribute to this resistance, principally an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment that inhibits the anti-tumor activity of cytotoxic T cells. Using mouse models, we have identified tumor intrinsic factors that regulate the tumor immune microenvironment. Such factors are heterogeneous, presenting a challenge to the development of therapies to convert “cold” tumors to “hot” tumors. However, certain tumor cell-focused therapies also have effects on the tumor immune microenvironment, creating opportunities for novel immune-sensitizing combinations.