Over the past twenty years, researchers at Barts Cancrer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, have uncovered fundamental insights into how cancer develops, created new tools to detect disease earlier, and developed treatments that are changing clinical practice. This page showcases some of the advances that demonstrate the impact of our research.
Cancer-starving treatment improves survival in mesothelioma
Professor Peter Szlosarek and team have developed a powerful ‘starvation’ therapy that cuts off tumours’ food supply and improves survival of mesothelioma, a type of cancer with one of the lowest survival rates of any tumour. The team developed a drug called ADI-PEG20 that breaks down arginine, starving cancers of this vital nutrient. In a phase III trial, the team showed that adding this arginine-depleting therapy to standard chemotherapy significantly extended survival for people with mesothelioma and quadrupled the number of patients still alive after 3 years. This is the first major treatment advance in decades for this asbestos-linked cancer, offering new hope to patients. The results represent the culmination of 20 years of research by Professor Szlosarek at Barts Cancer Institute, which began with his discovery during his PhD studies in Professor Fran Balkwill’s lab showing that some cancer cells lack an enzyme called ASS1 required to manufacture arginine.
Doubling survival in advanced bladder cancer
Professor Tom Powles and his team led a landmark clinical trial (EV302) in advanced bladder cancer. The study showed that combining the drug enfortumab vedotin (an antibody drug conjugate) and pembrolizumab (an immunotherapy drug) pembrolizumab almost doubled average survival, from around 16 months to two-and-a-half years, compared with standard treatment. This result has been described as the biggest advance in advanced bladder cancer treatment in roughly four decades. It received approval by NICE for use in the NHS and is reshaping the standard of care worldwide.
Transforming treatment for triple-negative breast cancer
Professor Peter Schmid and colleagues led major international trials that brought new immunotherapy treatments to patients with triple-negative breast cancer – an aggressive and historically difficult to treat cancer type. In the KEYNOTE-522 study, he and his team showed that adding the immune checkpoint blocker pembrolizumab to chemotherapy before surgery markedly reduced the risk of the cancer coming back by 37% in early-stage cases. He also spearheaded the IMpassion130 trial, which found that combining immunotherapy (atezolizumab) with chemotherapy prolonged survival in advanced triple-negative breast cancer, leading to the first-ever FDA approval of an immunotherapy for breast tumours. These breakthroughs have transformed care for this challenging cancer, and are estimated to save as many as 10,000 lives per year in the US alone.
Empowering the Immune System Against Lymphoma
Professor John Gribben and team have advanced treatments that harness the immune system to tackle blood cancers. His research revealed how lymphoma and leukaemia cells interfere with how T cells communicate with the rest of the immune system, impairing their ability to launch an attack on the cancer. One major finding was that the drug lenalidomide can restore immune cell function. Professor Gribben then led a pivotal Phase III trial combining lenalidomide with the antibody rituximab, which significantly improved outcomes for people follicular lymphoma, leading to the approval of this combination for use in patients.
Developing cancer-killing viruses
Professors Yaohe Wang and Nick Lemoine have spent more than two decades developing viruses that selectively infect and destroy cancer cells. Their work in pancreatic cancer and other solid tumours has shown that these engineered viruses can directly kill tumour cells and also ‘wake up’ the immune system to attack the tumour. In 2022, they launched VacV Biotherapeutics, a spin-out company aiming to translate these oncolytic vaccinia viruses into new cancer treatments, now progressing through preclinical development towards first-in-human trials.
Disarming Pancreatic Cancer's Defences
Professor Hemant Kocher and team have developed a strategy to break the defeATRAnsive barriers that surround pancreatic cancer, to improve the delivery and efficacy of other drugs. His lab discovered that treating pancreatic tumours with a form of vitamin A (all-trans retinoic acid, ) ‘reprograms’ cancer-supporting cells known as stellate cells, preventing them from building a dense fibrous stroma (scar tissue) around the tumour. In a first-of-its-kind clinical trial called STARPAC, Professor Kocher showed that adding ATRA to standard chemotherapy caused no additional side effects and appeared to remodel the tumour microenvironment in patients. A Phase II trial is now underway, building on this research.
Urine Test for Early Pancreatic Cancer Detection
Detecting pancreatic cancer early – before it spreads and when it can still be surgically removed – can save lives. Professor Tatjana Crnogorac-Jurcevic and her team have developed a simple test for urine and blood that may be far more effective than any other test in development. The team identified a trio of protein biomarkers in urine (LYVE1, REG1B, and TFF1) that together serve as an early warning signal for pancreatic cancer. They showed that this three-protein signature can detect pancreatic tumours up to two years before traditional diagnosis, with strong accuracy. The team has developed and patented a risk algorithm (PancRISK) that identifies who is at high risk, and have launched a spin-out company, Procyon Diagnostics, to commercially develop the test and bring it to patients.
Blood Test to Predict Prostate Cancer Aggressiveness
Not all prostate cancers are alike – many are harmless, but some are not. Professor Yong-Jie Lu and colleagues developed a blood test to tell which ones pose a threat. The team focused on detecting circulating tumour cells (CTCs) – cancer cells that escape into the bloodstream – as a marker of aggressive disease. They found that even at early stages, the presence and subtype of CTCs can signal a high risk that the prostate cancer will metastasise and progress. Professor Lu’s group demonstrated that CTC analysis could distinguish dangerous prostate cancers from slow-growing ones, improving on the PSA blood test in predicting which patients truly need treatment. This innovative diagnostic approach means doctors could spare low-risk patients from unnecessary surgery or radiation, while swiftly identifying men with aggressive cancer who need urgent therapy.