Immune-based therapies have shown tremendous clinical potential for treating advanced cancers, but their broad clinical efficacy remains limited. As obesity is a known risk factor for increased cancer prevalence and mortality, it is critical to understand how obesity impacts anti-tumor immunity and immunotherapeutic efficacy. A major research focus in the Norian lab is understanding how immune responses to solid tumors change in the presence of chronic, diet-induced obesity. We have found that in mice with renal or mammary tumors, obesity impairs protective anti-tumor immunity and increases the prevalence of immunotherapeutic resistance. To identify the mechanistic drivers of obesity-associated therapeutic resistance, we employ a variety of techniques including multi-parameter flow cytometry, immunogenetic profiling, and more recently, cellular metabolic profiling. To better understand the translatability of our findings, we are evaluating the ways in which obesity alters immune responses and immunotherapy outcomes in cancer patients. As a complement to these studies, we are also actively pursuing the ways in which dietary modifications can be used to improve anti-tumor immunity and the efficacy of cancer immunotherapies. Our long-term goal is to improve outcomes for cancer patients by allowing them to enjoy longer, healthier lives.
