A new class of PRMT5 inhibitors, designed to exploit a genetic vulnerability in aggressive tumors, works even better when paired with MAPK pathway drugs—wiping out hard-to-treat lung, brain, and pancreatic cancers in preclinical models, according to Virginia Tech scientists.

Cancer cells interact with their neighborhood — which scientists term the tumor microenvironment — in many ways, including obtaining extra resources needed to fuel their unchecked growth. Like a fishing trawler deploying its net, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells reform their cell surfaces to grab additional nutrients from the jelly-like substance between cells called the extracellular matrix.

This cellular scavenging process — known as macropinocytosis — affects the area surrounding the tumor, making the connective tissue stiffer and preventing immune cells from reaching the tumor.

In one of the largest studies of its kind, researchers found that up to 80% of emergency department visits and more than one-third of hospitalizations in severely impaired and terminally ill nursing home residents were potentially avoidable. Common causes included UTIs, pneumonia, feeding tube complications, falls, and seizures – many preventable with timely, on-site care. These unnecessary transfers not only distress vulnerable patients and families but also drive-up health care costs, contributing to $14.3 billion in annual Medicare spending.