Targeting stomach cancer treatment: When chemotherapy is ineffective
Walter Krienitz Doctoral Prize for Magdeburg research into more tailored treatment of stomach cancer
Not every chemotherapy is equally effective for patients with stomach cancer. In his dissertation at the Medical Faculty of Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Dr. Thilo Stolze shows that patients with a defect in the so-called mismatch repair system (MMR) of their tumor apparently do not benefit from conventional chemotherapy. For those affected, this means that undesirable side effects can be avoided and, instead, alternative therapies such as immunotherapies that activate the body's own defense system can be used in a targeted manner. For this work, Dr. Stolze has now been awarded the Walter Krienitz Doctoral Prize. The prize is awarded annually by the Young Scientists Commission of the Medical Faculty of Magdeburg and is endowed with 500 euros.
Photo: Dr. Thilo Stolze receives the Walter Krienitz Doctoral Prize from the Medical Faculty of Magdeburg for his research work on the targeted treatment of stomach cancer. Photographer: private
What is the MMR defect?
The mismatch repair system is a control mechanism in our cells that detects and repairs errors in our genetic material – comparable to a spell checker for DNA. In about 10 out of 100 patients with stomach cancer, this system does not function properly in the tumor. If chemotherapy relies on an intact repair system, it often does not work as desired in these patients.
Dr. Stolze examined tumor samples from nearly 250 patients and compared the molecular genetic findings with the therapies and survival data. The analysis showed that patients with an MMR-deficient tumor did not benefit measurably from standard chemotherapy, but were exposed to the side effects of the treatment.
“The results make it clear that individual testing prior to therapy is crucial. This allows us to treat patients in a more targeted manner and avoid unnecessary stress,” says Dr. Stolze, who is currently completing his specialist training at the Department of Pediatric Surgery at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin.
What does this mean in practice?
The study suggests that MMR status should be determined before treatment begins. Patients with an MMR defect could thus benefit from alternative therapies, such as immunotherapies. These approaches use the immune system to specifically target cancer cells and are currently being researched successfully for other types of cancer as well.
For his research work, Dr. Stolze was able to draw on a Germany-wide patient collective from the StaR project, which was built up over many years at the University Clinic for Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Infectiology in Magdeburg.
He sees the award as recognition of the joint effort: “My thanks go to my supervisor Prof. Dr. Marino Venerito, Dr. Sabine Franke, and the staff of the molecular genetics laboratory at the Institute of Pathology in Magdeburg. I would also like to thank the cooperation partners of the StaR project and, in particular, all the patients who made this research possible.”
About
Dr. Thilo Stolze completed his medical studies at Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg. During his studies and his practical year, he gained experience in radiology, pediatric surgery, and internal medicine. After receiving his license to practice medicine in 2020, he worked as a physician in further training at the Clinic for Pediatric Surgery at the University Medical Center Mainz before continuing his further training at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin in 2025, where personalized tumor medicine is a focus of his daily clinical work.
About the Walter Krienitz Doctoral Prize
The Walter Krienitz Association for the Promotion of Medicine e. V. honors outstanding achievements in medical research each year with the prize named after the Halberstadt physician. Walter Krienitz is considered a pioneer of modern gastric bacteriology. The prize is awarded to young researchers whose work impresses with its innovative strength and practical relevance.