(Vienna, 17 October 2017) Johannes Längle from the Division of General Surgery of the Department of Surgery, MedUni Vienna/Vienna General Hospital, was awarded a poster prize at this year’s 34th annual conference of the Austrian Society of Surgical Oncology (ACO-ASSO).
The study entitled "DNA damage, DNA sensor DDX41 and ER stress response predict prognosis and treatment response in colorectal liver metastases patients undergoing bevacizumab based neoadjuvant chemotherapy following liver resection" was conducted under the auspices of the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute Applied Diagnostics (lbi:ad) and Comprehensive Cancer Center Vienna (CCC).
Preclinical models showed that damage to the genetic information, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), due to internal or external causes, can induce Type I interferon (IFN). This induction is essential for the production of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (T-cells) to fight cancer and these cells are subsequently associated with extended survival.
Against this background, Johannes Längle and his research team investigated the correlation between DNA damage, DNA receptors, internal cell stress and IFN and T-cells in the tissue of patients with liver metastases (from colorectal cancer) and consequently the impact upon recurrence-free survival and overall survival.
The analyses showed that DNA damage has an adverse effect upon recurrence-free survival and overall survival in liver metastases patients. Conversely, internal cell stress is associated with extended recurrence-free survival. Furthermore, the DNA receptor DDX41 is associated with response to radiotherapy. Consequently, markers for DNA damage and any subsequent reaction could serve as prognostic and/or predictive biomarkers, as well as a therapeutic target for liver metastases patients.
About Johannes Längle
Johannes Längle studied human medicine at the Medical University of Vienna and was the frequent recipient of merit-based scholarships, as well as being awarded a research grant. He is currently completing a PhD at the Medical University of Vienna on the "Immunology" programme in association with the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute Applied Diagnostics (lbi:ad) under the supervision of Michael Bergmann. He is presently undergoing specialist training in general surgery and visceral surgery at the Division of General Surgery within the Department of Surgery. The main focus of his scientific interest is tumour immunology, immuno-oncology and surgical oncology.