When Colorectal Cancer Fights Back
Colorectal cancer is among the most common and deadliest cancers in Canada. Despite therapeutic advances, too many patients still experience recurrence. This is partly explained by the ability of certain cancer cells to survive treatments, making relapses difficult to prevent and treat.
The Many Faces of Resistance
With support from the Cancer Research Society (CRS), researcher Arshad Ayyaz from the University of Calgary is studying the resistance mechanisms of a particularly resilient subset of cells: cancer stem cells.
By analyzing samples from patients with colorectal cancer, his team identified several cell populations that do not all respond to therapies in the same way. Some can enter a temporary dormant state to escape treatment, others survive the damage caused by radiotherapy and are able to restart tumor growth, while others contribute to weakening the immune system’s response, thereby facilitating disease progression.
To better understand how they function, the project relies on patient-derived tumor models. This approach makes it possible to identify new targets and test more precise and effective treatments capable of eliminating the cells responsible for relapse.
Colorectal cancer touches so many families; your support empowers us to take smarter, safer aim at the cells that drive relapse. We are deeply grateful for your trust. We will honour it by keeping patients at the centre of every decision. Every donation shortens the distance between a lab bench and a better life for someone you may never meet; but whose future you have helped change.
Your impact
By supporting CRS, you help advance projects that push the boundaries of knowledge and pave the way for new approaches to fighting cancer. Your support makes it possible to turn promising ideas into tangible solutions that could one day change the life course of people affected by the disease. Your donation truly makes a difference.
Project Title:Combined Strategy Against Regenerative Plasticity in Colorectal Cancer
Alberta
2025-2027,
$135,000