The Swiss Cancer Research foundation funds promising projects across all areas of cancer research, aiming to improve both the survival and quality of life of patients with cancer.
Chemotherapy commonly damages the intestinal lining, a well-known side effect. But this injury does not remain confined to the gut. It reshapes nutrient availability for intestinal bacteria, forcing the microbiota to adapt.
Why do some cancers no longer respond to therapy? And why do tumors succeed in evading the immune system? These questions were at the heart of a research project on resistance in B-cell lymphomas.
For a long time, medicine treated the male body as the universal standard. Only in recent years have cancer specialists begun to systematically examine gender-specific differences—and in doing so, are discovering new ways to improve cancer treatment.
In theory, there are strong reasons to combine immunotherapy and radiation therapy. So far, however, this approach has proven successful in clinical practice only to a limited extent. A research project now explains why this is the case—and what would need to change for radiation therapy to act like a kind of vaccination against cancer.
Certain gut bacteria can strengthen the immune system and, in experiments, slow the growth of tumors. This is shown by a successfully completed research project.
Sarcomas are rare but aggressive cancers that disproportionately affect children. Two researchers are working to develop more precise immunotherapies that may offer gentler and more effective treatment options.
Cells of the immune system also follow an internal clock. They mount their most effective defense responses right after waking up. These insights could soon be incorporated into clinical practice and improve the treatment of cancer patients.
Children with cancer deserve the best possible treatment. What exactly does that mean? Researchers have now defined objective quality criteria. This supports professionals as well as families of children with cancer, says pediatric oncology specialist Katrin Scheinemann, who led the project.
Since the needs of patients hospitalized in a palliative care unit can vary greatly, cost calculations should be done on an individual basis. That is the goal of this research group.
What creates trust in breast cancer patients? And what can cause them to lose it? In a study that followed twelve patients from diagnosis to the end of their treatment, nursing scientists discovered different answers to these questions.
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women worldwide. In Switzerland alone, around 6,600 women are diagnosed each year. In about 70–80% of cases, these are hormone receptor-positive (HR+) tumors.
Many families are impacted by an increased risk of cancer due to genetic changes that are often passed down from one generation to the next. A new nationwide study in Switzerland is exploring how these families manage the unique challenges arising from their hereditary cancer risk.
