Unraveling Leukemia Resistance to Treatments

To improve treatment options for patients, it is essential to understand how some leukemia cells adapt and survive despite intensive therapy.

William Stanford, a researcher at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, studies the chemical changes that affect the DNA of leukemia cells. These changes, called epigenetic modifications, do not alter the DNA itself but influence which genes are turned on or off in the cell.

These changes can reshape how leukemia cells behave, making them less responsive to existing treatments. By comparing cells that respond to chemotherapy with those that evade it, William Stanford and his team work to uncover the biological processes that drive this resistance. Their goal is to pinpoint specific vulnerabilities in resistant leukemia cells, opening the door to new therapeutic strategies that can target these cells more effectively.

By donating to the Cancer Research Society, you support crucial research on an aggressive cancer for which treatment options remain limited. Your contribution helps researchers understand why some patients do not respond to current therapies and how the cancer manages to evade them. This knowledge is essential for developing more effective approaches tailored to those affected.