Welcome to the Caring and Sharing Advanced Oncology podcast. In this episode, Uta Schmidt-Straßburger is joined again by Dr. Joe Lennerz, a board-certified pathologist and the chief scientific officer at BostonGene.

The discussion covers two notable papers from BostonGene scientists, featured on the covers of Cancer Cell and Gastroenterology. These papers delve into tumor sample profiling, introducing new classification methods.

Starting with the Cancer Cell paper, Dr. Lennerz explained their advanced immunoprofiling assay from blood, which uses high-complexity techniques to provide a comprehensive "immune system count" of over 300 markers. This approach identifies five distinct immunotypes, aiding in predicting responses to immunotherapy, particularly in cancers like head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Next, the Gastroenterology paper focuses on a microenvironment classification of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). By analyzing transcriptomic data from over 1600 patients, the team identified four microenvironment subtypes with significant prognostic implications. These findings could lead to better stratification and treatment approaches for this aggressive cancer.

Dr. Lennerz emphasized the potential of these classifications in clinical trials and personalized treatment plans, highlighting the innovative strides in oncology research.

Tune in to learn more about these groundbreaking studies and their impact on cancer treatment. If you enjoyed the episode, please like and subscribe. Thank you!