Swim Across America supports Lee’s pancreatic cancer research

Media contact: Nicole Fawcett, 734-764-2220 |  Patients may contact Cancer AnswerLine™ 800-865-1125

Kyoung Eun Lee, Ph.D., assistant professor of pharmacology at Michigan Medicine, received a $50,000 grant through funds raised in 2019 by Swim Across America, an open-water swim along the Detroit River. This year’s event will be a virtual “Coast to Coast” that includes any activity (not just swimming). Here, Lee talks about the impact she hopes this grant will have on pancreatic cancer research.

Pancreatic cancer remains a deadly disease, with a five-year survival rate of 10% and a poor response to current treatments. One of the most unique features of pancreatic cancer is the presence of rich, non-cancer cell elements in the tumor mass, called stroma. Multiple studies suggest that interactions between cancer cells and the neighboring stroma are crucial indicators for tumor growth and patient outcome. Thus, targeting both the stroma and cancer cells is an effective way to treat cancer. However, our ability to do so is limited due to our lack of understanding of tumor-stroma interactions.

Pancreatic cancer cannot make functional blood vessels, carrying oxygen and nutrients. As a result, pancreatic cancer exists under quite low oxygen conditions, known as hypoxia. We showed that blocking an oxygen sensor in cancer cells worsens hypoxia and promotes cancer. This occurred with a marked increase in stromal cells, mainly fibroblasts and B cells, in cancer. We also found that depleting B cells slows down pancreatic cancer. We hypothesize that hypoxia makes cancer more aggressive by controlling fibroblasts and B cells. 

Receiving the Swim Across America Young Investigator Award is a great honor. It will allow us to test whether and how hypoxia regulates the functions of fibroblasts and B cells. These studies will provide new insights into the impact of hypoxia on tumor-stroma interactions. Findings from our work could aid in developing effective cancer treatments that target both the stroma and cancer cells.