The findings were so promising that the clinical trial is being redesigned to investigate whether radiation treatment can also be avoided.

The authors hope the report will provide insight on the importance of education, screening and awareness to all health care providers.

The Vanderbilt study used RNA-sequencing data generated in multiple normal tissues, along with matched genotype data from the Genotype-Tissue Expression Project as well as large-scale genomic data for cancers of the breast, ovary, prostate, colorectum, lung and pancreas.

The study reported in the journal Nature provides a mechanistic explanation for the “obesity paradox” — that obesity can contribute to cancer progression but also improve response to immunotherapy.

The study connected the Hippo signaling pathway to phosphoinositides, a particular type of lipid, or fat molecule, which regulates cell functions that are critical in cancer, obesity and diabetes.

Through this agreement Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center’s medical oncologists, radiation oncologists and advanced practice nurses will be Cookeville Regional’s exclusive providers of cancer services.

The funds will help launch a clinical trial in the U.S. with one of the therapies and compare it with another therapy from an ongoing clinical trial in Japan.