Inflammation is a critical component of tumor development and progression. Within the tumor environment, lymphocytes secrete cytokines and chemokines that promote tissue invasion, immune system evasion, migration, and metastasis of cancerous cells. Current therapies that target specific immune signals are only effective for a narrow set of patients and even then provide only a few months’ benefit, often with severely unpleasant side effects. Furthermore, because inflammatory responses can greatly diminish the therapeutic effect of chemotherapy, anti-inflammatory co-therapy is commonly prescribed, leading to an increased risk of GI bleeding or cardiovascular events. Balancing the relationship between the immune response and tumor biology is critical for both effective cancer treatment and disease management, including reducing cancer therapy-associated side effects.
Description
University of Pittsburgh researchers have developed an implantable device and methods for vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) that can be used to personalize cancer treatment and alleviate cancer therapy-associated side effects. This device can be tuned to precisely control signaling in the descending anti-inflammatory nerve pathways to suppress pro-cancer signaling. This device can additionally be used in the stead of anti-inflammatory drugs, providing targeted electrical pulses along neural pathways to manage inflammation. This technology enables personalized solid tumor treatment and disease management, expanding the applicability and effectiveness of common immunotherapy techniques for treating cancer.
Applications
• Modulating inflammation and the immune system to make cancer therapy more effective
Advantages
• Can help reduce the inflammatory response caused by chemotherapy enhancing its effectiveness
• Offers precise control over immune signaling to provide personalized therapy to people for whom certain therapies were previously ineffective
Invention Readiness
Prototype
IP Status
https://patents.google.com/patent/WO2020018120A1
