Designing a targeted treatment for aggressive lung cancer

Background 

In 2022 around 14,500 Australians will be diagnosed with lung cancer, making it our fifth most common cancer. With few effective treatments available, the survival rate remains low; only around 21% of those diagnosed today can expect to survive for five years or longer. 

Many patients, including around 30% of those diagnosed early, will have their cancer return months or years after surgery. There is currently no way of identifying which patients are most at risk of cancer recurrence or what the best treatment approach is when it does. Patients and their doctors are forced to adopt a ‘watch and wait’ approach, remaining hopeful while monitoring for cancer recurrence.  

A way to identify patients who are at high risk of developing aggressive lung cancer is urgently needed to ensure they receive the most effective treatment.

The research

Lung cancer development and spread is strongly influenced by the surrounding lung tissue, and in particular a mesh-like matrix that holds cells together. In lung cancer, larger amounts of this matrix are produced, and this changes the way the cancer cells behave. The tumour becomes more aggressive and the changes in the matrix helps cancer cells to spread to other parts of the body,  and protects them against treatment. 

Associate Professor Thomas Cox and his team have identified a molecule in the lung tissue matrix called ‘Collagen IV’, which helps to control the behaviour of lung cancer cells. By targeting Collagen IV, they can slow down tumour growth, reduce cancer spread around the body, and improve chemotherapy efficiency. In this project, the team will use advanced cell-imaging technologies and pre-clinical lung cancer testing to develop Collagen IV biomarkers and targeted treatments. Their ultimate goal is to design a new personalised treatment approach for aggressive lung cancer.