Understanding the mechanisms of transformation and hidden resistance of incurable haematological malignancies (3° annualità)

OGGETTO DELLA RICERCA: The development of many blood cancers follows a highly protracted evolutionary process, beginning for many patients several years prior to the development of overt disease. Regardless, of the natural history of these malignancies, we typically treat patients once full-blown cancer has developed, where treatments are usually complex and expensive, with low cure rate, all of which contributes to a physical and psychosocial burden for the patients and their families at great societal economic impact. Further, despite the efficacy of current therapies, in a significant number of patients we are capable of identifying small populations of tumour cells, named minimal residual disease (MRD), being a reservoir of chemoresistant disease that eventually will lead to the relapse of the disease. Treatment in many cases is defer until clinical relapse of the disease. At odds with the approaches used today, we are postulating that blood cancers may be at their most vulnerable during their pre-malignant and MRD phases. Thus, therapeutic intervention at these time-points may ultimately provide our best opportunity in delivering a step change towards more effective disease control, improved long-term survival and potentially cure.