Dr. Julia Visgauss, chief of Duke’s Orthopaedic Oncology Division, is spearheading innovative research into chondrosarcoma, a rare bone cancer resistant to traditional therapies. Her team has identified the gene LCP1 as a key driver of tumor cell migration and invasion. Preclinical models show that silencing this gene dramatically reduces metastasis, offering hope for new treatment pathways. Additionally, her research challenges the notion that chondrosarcoma is an “immune desert,” revealing immune cell activity that could be targeted with novel immunotherapies.
“For many years, it was thought that chondrosarcoma was an immune desert, but our studies have shown that there are immune cells,” says Dr. Visgauss. “Existing immunotherapies don’t work in chondrosarcoma because the mechanisms are completely different than other cancers. These studies are opening exciting avenues for novel therapeutics to prevent metastatic disease.”
Jordan McCollum, Duke Health – Read more