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The National Institute of Oncology in Gliwice has once again been recognized by the Medical Research Agency, clinching second place in their recent competition. The institute will receive a substantial grant of nearly PLN 26 million for its scientific project titled “Evaluation of the immunomodulatory effect of palliative radiotherapy, including spatially dose-differentiated radiotherapy, administered independently or with immunotherapy in patients who have exhausted systemic and radical radiotherapy, using immuno-PET and proteomic studies.”
Advancing Cancer Research with Significant Funding
The Gliwice-based institute’s project aims to recruit 60 patients with five types of advanced cancers, focusing on kidneys, uterine corpus, cervical, triple-negative breast cancer, and melanoma. The study, led by Prof. Sławomir Blamek, will explore innovative approaches to palliative radiotherapy, including spatial dose differentiation, and the potential synergy with immunotherapy.
Revitalizing Traditional Radiotherapy Techniques
Dr. Blamek emphasizes the modern application of spatially differentiating radiation dose distribution to stimulate the immune response while safeguarding adjacent healthy organs. The study integrates immunotherapy in two arms, aiming to verify immune system responses not fully explored in conventional radiotherapy.
Imaging Techniques and Promising Outcomes
The research team plans to utilize immuno-PET with pembrolizumab labeled with zirconium-89 to examine the distribution of PD-L1 receptors in irradiated tumors and other parts of the body. The combination of palliative radiotherapy and immunotherapy, if proven effective, could revolutionize cancer treatment approaches.
Recognition and Future Prospects
Out of 76 grant applications totaling approximately PLN 933 million, the National Institute of Oncology’s project was selected as one of the 19 to be funded by the Medical Research Agency. Prof. Krzysztof Składowski, the institute’s director, expresses pride in the institute’s leadership in advancing oncological radiotherapy in Poland.