Department of Oncology-Pathology

Alexios Matikas and Theodoros Foukakis, along with colleagues from Sweden, Germany and Austria published a secondary analysis of the phase 3 PANTHER trial in Lancet Regional Health Europe. The results show that no specific patient group with operated, lymph node positive breast cancer could be identified that did not benefit from dose dense chemotherapy every two weeks compared to standard chemotherapy every three weeks. Therefore, dose-dense chemotherapy should be considered for all patients that have undergone breast cancer surgery and had positive lymph nodes. 

Thuy Tran’s research group has been awarded 8 million SEK over three years from the Erling-Persson Foundation to develop a precision-focused, theranostic method that integrates both diagnostics and treatment of advanced solid tumors. Thuy Tran’s research focuses on creating an innovative, targeted platform that aims to provide less invasive, personalized, and targeted treatment options. The goal is to improve both patient well-being and treatment outcomes.

In a study published in Biomarkers Research, Kenny Rodriguez-Wallberg, Xia Hao and Jian Zhao  explores how mitochondria, the energy powerhouses of cells, behave during the maturation of mouse oocytes. The researchers found that as oocytes mature from the germinal vesicle (GV) stage to metaphase II (MII), mitochondria shift from being evenly distributed to forming clusters. This clustering increases as the oocytes progress through their stages. The study provides the first comprehensive profiles of these mitochondrial changes, offering a new, standardized method to evaluate oocyte health based on mitochondrial dynamics. This could help in better monitoring and understanding oocyte conditions during maturation.

Theodoros Foukakis is co-author of a newly published article in New England Journal of Medicine. In this phase 3 trial, the addition of pembrolizumab to preoperative chemotherapy in patients with early-stage triple-negative breast cancer was investigated. The study found that this combination significantly improved both pathological complete response and event-free survival. Final results showed that overall survival at 60 months was higher in the pembrolizumab-chemotherapy group compared to the placebo-chemotherapy group. Adverse events were consistent with known safety profiles of the treatments.