Molecular Hematology/Oncology

Owing to its primary metastatic nature, CUP constitutes a paradigm metastatic disease and therefore enables insights into mechanisms of cancer progression and metastatic seeding in general. Moreover, as the tissue of origin remains elusive, CUP additionally serves as a true tumor-agnostic model disease. 

Within this scope, our translational research program aims to unravel the mechanisms underlying cancer metastasis starting with in vitro models and extending into work with primary patient samples (tumor tissue, blood, patient-derived tumoroids), while constantly linking the results to clinical parameters. Our basic science projects center around Chromosomal Instability (CIN) as one of the major mechanisms paving the way towards metastasis. Using genome-wide DNA sequencing, transcriptomics and methylome analysis, we have gained essential insights into the key molecular features of CUP. Based on these findings, and with the ultimate goal of improving treatment options and developing innovative strategies to overcome treatment failure, we conduct large multi-center and international precision medicine clinical trials for newly diagnosed as well as relapsed or refractory treatment settings.

Our efforts have led to the largest randomized phase II trial ever conducted in CUP, which recently and for the first time proved the efficacy of tumor-agnostic, molecularly tailored treatments, constituting a major milestone in the treatment of CUP and a decisive step towards integrating precision oncology into standard medical practice.