A Taste for Life supports groundbreaking lung cancer research and therapies at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.

This year, proceeds from A Taste for Life will fund research that studies potential factors influencing immunotherapy resistance in females with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). It has long been established that gender-related biology can influence cancer progression and responsiveness to treatment. Since this link was discovered, the rate of small cell lung carcinoma in men has significantly declined. The rate of LUAD in females, on the other hand, has surpassed that of men younger than 50, suggesting that factors outside of smoking drive the gender-related differences in lung tumor formation.

Roswell Park researchers are studying the importance of arginine metabolism (a biochemical process converts the amino acid L-arginine into vital molecules) on how lymphoid cells 2 (ILC2) (the “first responders” in immune defense) respond to cancer cells and the extent to which arginine metabolism can be targeted to improve immune checkpoint inhibitor response in females.

This research hopes to increase the understanding of ILC2 function in females, which can lead to new therapeutic resistance, as well as provide a strong rationale for targeting arginine metabolism to boost immunotherapy.

It is now widely recognized that sex-related differences play critical roles in cancer progression and immunotherapy response; however, the mechanisms behind this paradox remain poorly understood. We have identified an integral immune cell type that potentially augments LUAD tumorigenesis in women. If arginase 1 is confirmed as a critical driver of lung cancer in young females, we will propose a clinical trial involving an arginase 1 inhibitor, such as Numidargistat (CB-1158), in combination with anti-PD-1.