Did you know that the CRCHUM is the only centre in Quebec to use the most effective cellular immunotherapy for patients with stage 4 cancer? This treatment relies on T lymphocytes, immune cells that fascinate Dr. Simon Turcotte because of their ability to destroy cancer cells.

In 2013, he was recruited by the CHUM to practice as a hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgical oncologist, and also to start up a laboratory and research program in cellular immunotherapy.

A first in Quebec

In 2022, his team succeeded in treating their first lung cancer patients with this T cell-based cellular immunotherapy. This work has continued over the past year, with four new studies involving people with different types of cancers.

This innovative therapy involves removing a metastasis from a stage 4 cancer, then extracting tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). There are either too few of these lymphocytes or they are inhibited by cancer cells, so a laboratory is used to multiply them in vitro to obtain billions of them. The TILs are then transfused into the patient with the immunostimulant interleukin-2. Patient results are promising.

The process for handling TILs is delicate: they must be kept cold in nitrogen tanks, then brought to the patient's bedside using cryogenic shippers. Medical and nursing staff have been duly trained not only to handle this product, but also to deal with any side effects in patients. To optimize the effectiveness of the therapy, the CRCHUM launched its own cell production unit in 2024. In 2026, the first cohort of CHUM patients will receive TILs made on site!

The project was made possible with the collaboration of a number of partners, starting with Jason Guertin, a researcher and health economist at the CHUQ. Through the FRQS-funded Réseau de thérapie cellulaire, tissulaire et génique du Québec, known as ThéCell, Guertin provided valuable assistance in assessing the cost-benefit ratio of cell therapies in a hospital setting. Biomanufacturing engineer Patrick Vermette is also helping to identify critical and costly steps, and to find more efficient alternatives where necessary.

Better targeted for greater efficiency

In addition to clinical trials, Dr. Turcotte's team is also trying to track the fate of TILs and determine in the laboratory which lymphocytes should be amplified in cellular immunotherapy. Using single-cell sequencing, the specific DNA of thousands of T cells in a tumour can be established. The cytometry and cell imaging core facilities are used to examine which cells respond to tumour antigens and which do not.

Another project aims to discover new antigens on the surface of cancer cells. “What we know is only the tip of the iceberg,” notes Dr. Turcotte. “There's a lot going on in the genome of a cancer cell, and it's really chaotic. The non-coding parts—known as the dark genome—make up 90% of DNA and usually remain silent. But in the case of cancer cells, this DNA is read in an abnormal way. A better understanding of this will help us not only to manufacture better antigen-specific cell products, but also to refine complementary techniques to cell therapy, such as vaccination.” There’s hope yet for a cure!
 

Cancer research theme highlights

April 2024

CRCHUM researcher Dr. Bertrand Routy receives the Coup de cœur award from the Collège des médecins du Québec.

The clinical team led by urologic oncologist and researcher Dr. Fred Saad conducts a Phase 1 clinical trial in advanced prostate cancer led by Bayer, which positions the CRCHUM as the first site worldwide to be activated for the PanTHA study.

Researchers Francis Rodier and François Yu receive funding from CQDM to evaluate the therapeutic potential in oncology of an oxygen carrier derived from a marine organism.

May 2024

The FRQS awards $508,365 in scholarships to Marie-Claude Bourgeois-Daigneault, Dr. Dominique Trudel and Dr. Simon Turcotte.

The Canadian Cancer Society and the Weston Family Foundation invest $2M in a CRCHUM Phase 2 clinical trial to test a promising new treatment for advanced melanoma. This study is co-led by Dr. Arielle Elkrief, Dr. Bertrand Routy and scientists from the Lawson Health Research Institute.

Researcher Anne-Marie Mes-Masson is appointed a Knight of the Order of Montreal for her work on ovarian cancer.

June 2024

Saima Hassan and her team win a $250,000 grant from the New Frontiers Research Fund (NFRF) to improve the detection of breast cancer.

July 2024

Manuela Santos receives $696,150 in CIHR funding for her research on interleukin-22 in cancer.

October 2024

Anne-Marie Mes-Masson receives the Wilder-Penfield Award from the Quebec government.

December 2024

As part of the Guy Lafleur program supported by the Fondation du CHUM, the teams of Dr. Isabelle Bourdeau, Dr. Arielle Elkrief, Dr. Bertrand Routy and Dr. Simon Turcotte are awarded $250,000 for their precision oncology projects.

March 2024

Dr. Dominique Trudel, Anne-Marie Mes-Masson, Dr. Arielle Elkrief and Réjean Lapointe receive $400,000 from Génome Québec to integrate genomic medicine into clinical practice.

Dr. Arielle Elkrief receives a $525,000 Terry Fox New Investigator Award.

Researcher Marie-Claude Bourgeois-Daigneault receives the Institutional Contribution award as part of the 2024 CRCHUM Awards of Excellence.

Francis Rodier receives $6.5M as part of the Canadian Cancer Society’s Breakthrough Team Grants to better understand cancer dormancy and recurrence.

This text is taken from our 2024-2025 Activity Report