TARGETING INFLAMMATION IN CANCER THERAPY

Sherine Elsawa, an associate professor in the department of molecular, cellular, and biomedical sciences, is investigating how chronic inflammation contributes to the development of cancer and its resistance to treatment. Inflammation is known to create an environment that helps cancer cells grow, survive and evade the immune system. This is especially true for Waldenström macroglobulinemia, which is the focus of Elsawa’s research. In this rare type of B-cell lymphoma, inflammation not only drives tumor growth but also makes the cancer more difficult to treat.

At the heart of Elsawa’s work are glioma-associated oncogene homolog proteins, which control gene activity involved in inflammation and play a crucial role in directing how cancer cells behave and interact with their surroundings, influencing tumor growth and response to treatment. By studying these proteins, she is trying to understand how this process works.

“Understanding how inflammation drives cancer progression is crucial,” Elsawa says. “By targeting the proteins that regulate these inflammatory processes, we can begin to explore new therapeutic strategies that aim to not only destroy cancer cells but also alter the environment that allows them to thrive.”