Highlights

HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) is over-expressed in 25–30% of patients with breast cancer on the surface of the tumor cells and is associated with a poor disease prognosis. Accordingly, HER2 is a target for new therapy approaches to treat breast cancer. In a translational research approach, members of the clinical cooperation group Antigen-Specific Immune Therapy together with clinical researchers of the Technische Universität München have succeeded in gaining first insights...

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common tumor type worldwide. Radiotherapy represents an important strategic option for treatment, however, in some cases it does not improve the survival of patients. Predicting the success of the treatment would help to avoid unnecessary radiation exposure to patients whose tumors do not respond to radiotherapy.In cooperation with colleagues of the Institute of Pathology and external partners, scientists of the Institute of...

CD8+ T cells mediate the immune defense against intracellular pathogens. Immunosuppressive methods, such as the treatment of tumor diseases, frequently lead to a reduction of CD8+ T cells and thus to severe complications in the form of life-threatening infections.

Improvement of tumor response and disease-free survival by regional hyperthermia proven in a randomised phase III study. Regional hyperthermia, combined with chemotherapy, improves the chances of local control and survival of patients with high-risk soft tissue sarcomas. At the Annual General Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago with more than 30.000 participants, the GSF scientist and clinician, Prof. Dr. med. Dipl.-Biochem.

(Clinical Cooperation Group 'Inflammatory Diseases of the Lung') Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the term given to a group of lung diseases that lead to a progressive reduction in lung function as a result of narrowing of the airways and destruction of lung tissue. Smoking is the major risk factor. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), COPD is the fourth most common cause of death world-wide.

(Institute of Molecular Immunology) Attempts to destroy tumour cells with the help of the immune system have a long tradition at the Helmholtz Zentrum München. They began with the pioneering work of Professor H.J. Kolb which showed that donor lymphocyte infusions (DLI) in patients who had undergone allogenic bone marrow transplantation led to a clear regression of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML; see photo - source: CDC) which lasted for many years.