October 20, 2025, 14:00 CET

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with

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Prof. Dr. Barbara Walch-Rückheim

Professor for Experimental Gynecological Oncology, Augsburg University

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In-person seminar in the Seminar Room (63-U1.040) or online via Zoom
Link and password upon request
Please write an e-mail to:?seminar.umweltmedizin@med.uni-augsburg.de

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Title:

The immune milieu in carcinogenesis, therapy and progression of cervical and vulvar cancer

Abstract:

The constitution of the tumor microenvironment is critical for tumor development,
therapy responses and affects the progression of disease. Furthermore, monitoring
individual therapy responses of patients with cancer represents a major clinical
challenge providing the basis to early identify metastases and cancer relapse. Our
studies identified tumor-stroma-interactions driving pro-tumorigenic mechanisms
favoring chronic inflammation and progression of cervical cancers. Meanwhile, T-
helper (Th)-17 cells accumulate in the peripheral blood and tumor tissues of cancer
patients and are associated with therapy resistance as well as cervical cancer
metastases and relapse. Our prospective, longitudinal monitoring studies of patients
with vulvar or cervical cancers during therapy unraveled systemic therapy-induced
individual immune landscapes of patients as well as occurrence of circulating tumor
cells (CTCs) whose phenotypic characterization during therapy identified therapy-
induced subpopulations that predicted course of disease providing the basis for
(immuno)therapeutic approaches.

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