The February tip sheet from Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center features a range of timely cancer-related story ideas that may be of interest. Highlights include new strategies to overcome chemotherapy resistance, efforts to build resilience among lymphoma patients, multidisciplinary teams exploring the sea and sky for novel cancer cures and insights, and more.

A new study led by researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center found that blood-based DNA markers known as protein epiScores can help predict which colorectal cancer patients face a higher risk of cancer recurrence or death. Results of the study were published in Clinical Epigenetics. 

Researchers identified four protein epiScores that were strongly associated with worse outcomes, with patients showing higher levels experiencing a 60% to 70% greater risk of recurrence. One marker, LGALS3BP, was also linked to overall survival, with higher scores associated with an 80% increased risk of death during follow-up.

A new study in mice hints at the potential to use tiny particles made with RNA molecules to deliver chemotherapy drugs and other therapies directly to tumors, killing cancer cells without generating an immune response or toxicity-related side effects.