UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center

14/08/2025

Chad Pecot, MD, and colleagues have developed a “two-in-one” molecule that targets hard-to-treat cancers by silencing two key genes — KRAS and MYC — while also delivering drugs directly to affected tumors.

13/08/2025

UNC Lineberger has been awarded up to $28 million by ARPA-H to lead EVOLVE—a groundbreaking adaptive clinical trial designed to transform metastatic breast cancer care.

“EVOLVE takes a different approach to clinical research by using real-time biomarker data to adapt treatment as a tumor changes.”
said UNC Lineberger's Lisa Carey, MD, ScM, FASCO.

This innovative trial leverages real-time data—from tumor biopsies and circulating tumor DNA to imaging and clinical records—to dynamically tailor therapy as the cancer evolves. In doing so, it aims to act earlier, anticipate resistance, and ultimately improve patients’ survival and quality of life.

Chapel Hill-based University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center has been awarded up to $28 million to develop an adaptive clinical trial targeting metastatic breast cancer. The trial is part of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health’s Advanced Analysis for Precision...

12/08/2025

Claudio L. Battaglini, PhD, FACSM, and his team are rewriting the cancer care playbook through exercise oncology. Since founding the Get Real & HEEL program in 2006, Battaglini has helped thousands of patients build strength, stamina, and balance—not by making them feel worse, but by empowering them to feel better through movement.

“The goal that we have, it’s really (to) promote and allow these individuals to live the best quality of life that they can live in the context of their disease," said Battaglini.

Now, Battaglini is taking this mission further with a new clinical trial focused on children battling a rare form of leukemia—to bring the same healing power of movement to even younger patients.

This week’s Everyday Hero is the man behind a groundbreaking cancer exercise program Spectrum News 1 NC recently introduced you to, that’s now focusing on how movement can help children battling a rare form of leukemia.

11/08/2025

After months of chemotherapy, she’s thankful her latest test showed no leukemia cells — but she knows her best chance at curing aplastic anemia and its complications is a bone marrow transplant.

Alexis Long, who is also a mother, desperately wants to get back to her job as a postpartum nurse, but she needs a bone marrow transplant.

08/08/2025

During each year of this five-year grant, we have the unique opportunity to fund the work of early-career or mid-career investigators who are transitioning to focus on pancreatic cancer and whose research is directed toward elucidating mechanisms of this particular cancer’s development, progression or therapy.

The SToP Cancer SPORE grant's Career Enhancement Program supports a diverse group of young researchers seeking to gain key insight into critical areas of pancreatic cancer research. Here are highlights from the program's first two projects.

07/08/2025

UNC Research is life saving.

In 2021, Vance Aldrich Bell III was diagnosed with cancer in his tongue. His UNC Health care team worked with him to navigate which treatments would work best for his case.

Vance wanted to pursue options other than surgery, so his doctor suggested he participate in a clinical trial for a new type of induction chemotherapy.

Induction chemotherapy is the first chemo treatment a person receives when they are diagnosed with cancer. By participating in the clinical trial, Vance also received an immunotherapy to trigger a reaction in his body to fight the cancer.

Vance responded well to the treatment and is now cancer free.

"UNC Research is life-saving, life-changing, life-giving," Vance says. "It's too important. It's not something to put on the table for takeaway. I wouldn't be here to tell you this… without it."

06/08/2025

UNC Lineberger’s Stephanie Wheeler, PhD, MPH and Alison Brenner, PhD, MPH, were honored to accept a $15,000 check onstage at the Worldclass fundraising event—supporting cancer screening efforts across North Carolina.

This event, hosted by Worldclass Clothing and championed by philanthropist Brooks Bell, raised funds through ticket sales and will contribute to the growing Worldclass Fund—originally launched with a $50,000 gift last fall, with more support on the way.

We’re so grateful for this incredible partnership and the commitment to cancer care.

05/08/2025

UNC Lineberger’s Get Real & HEEL program is changing what cancer recovery looks like—one workout at a time. 🧡

Spectrum News 1 North Carolina recently spotlighted how our exercise oncology team is helping patients regain strength, confidence, and community during and after treatment.

Receiving a cancer diagnosis is devastating, but a groundbreaking program at UNC is helping those battling cancer feel their best through exercise.

01/08/2025

Early detection saves lives. Research drives progress. Support fuels hope.

Let’s keep pushing forward—together.

World Lung Cancer Day raises awareness of lung cancer issues and magnifies the need for more lung cancer research funding.

You can learn more about this observance here: https://ow.ly/iaXa50SOLBW

01/08/2025

“The opportunities appear endless, and I hope the public will join me in supporting this fund and all the discoveries yet to be found.”

Dean has a long relationship with UNC and UNC Health as both a patient and donor, meaningful connections which led her to join the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Patient Advocates for Research Council (PARC). As part of her volunteer role on the Council, Dean reviews UNC grant proposals through the lens of a patient advocate.

Philanthropy has always played a major role in research at UNC, but Barbara Dean has taken this one step further by being an active participant in supporting those research efforts. Dean’s experience working with early-career UNC researchers recently led her … Read more

31/07/2025

Kwame Kwofie, a citizen of Ghana, found himself in uncharted territory when he faced a head and neck cancer diagnosis thousands of miles away from home.

30/07/2025

"The options for non-high-risk, non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer include intravesical therapy, but in patients with very high-risk features, cystectomy can be preferred," said UNC Lineberger's Matthew Milowsky, MD, FASCO. "My sense is there were high-risk features, probably several, such as involvement of the prostatic urethra or lymphovascular invasion."

'Prime Time' as patient: former NFL star, college football coach talks about his bladder tumor