Ana Patricia da Silva Gomes, Ph.D.

Despite the development of novel lung cancer treatments, the majority of patients still succumb to their disease. Part of the problem is the lack of consideration in preclinical research and clinical trials of the main driver of lung tumor formation: the aging process. Changes that occur in tissues and organs with aging render a different environment for lung cancer to develop, and therefore likely impact the effectiveness of the therapies largely developed and tested in young hosts. Our research builds on our preliminary data demonstrating that age-driven circulatory changes promote resistance to these therapies in lung cancer. We will identify the age-driven mechanisms that underlie the lack of sensitivity to chemotherapies. The findings can be used to develop more effective therapeutic strategies for the majority and most vulnerable lung cancer patients: the elderly.