Major Breakthrough in Ewing’s Sarcoma Treatment in Bologna

Published on November 8, 2019 • Local News, Bologna

In Bologna, researcher Mattia Lauriola from the Department of Specialist and Experimental Diagnostic Medicine at Policlinico Sant’Orsola and the University of Bologna has made a notable advancement in the fight against Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare bone tumor primarily affecting children and adolescents.

About five years ago (between 2014 and 2015), during her PhD and a subsequent stay at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, Lauriola identified how glucocorticoid receptors—stress-related steroid hormones—can stimulate the growth of Ewing’s sarcoma: “Five years ago, I identified the glucocorticoid receptors … that can stimulate cancer cell growth”.

This discovery paved the way for further studies in animal models: experiments in mice demonstrated that drugs targeting glucocorticoid activity (such as metirapone or mifepristone) slow tumor growth and inhibit lung metastasis.

Lauriola, aged 39 and originally from Manfredonia, carried out this research after returning to Italy in 2016 thanks to a grant she had won: “I was a pioneer” and “seeing that my research generated a hypothesis that is producing good results in mice is very gratifying”.

Today, her work continues and extends to the study of other solid tumors, such as colon cancer, where traditional therapies still appear insufficient.

The researcher highlights the complex nature of scientific inquiry: “Research is beautiful work, but very frustrating where nothing ever goes in the direction one hopes… you have to repeat endlessly, constantly readjusting hypotheses”.

This discovery stands as a powerful example of how basic research—combined with international collaboration (Unibo‑Weizmann)—can generate concrete therapeutic strategies for rare and aggressive diseases. It holds promise for the future of anti–Ewing’s sarcoma and other bone tumor treatments.

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🔗 Original article on Il Resto del Carlino: “Tumori, passo avanti per la cura del sarcoma di Ewing”