-Volume 32 | April 9, 2025

Despite recent setbacks that curtail and jeopardize scientific discovery, we continue to spring forward to advance progress. Last month, our Junior Advisory Board participated in a Patient Panel at the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society meeting, ensuring that lived experiences shape the future of care. We’re also highlighting groundbreaking work in an exciting new Comparative Immunotherapy Program at UPenn, advancing potential new treatments. We have an impactful scientific program lined up for FACTOR 2025, don’t forget to register now! Plus, for those newly diagnosed, our Newly Diagnosed Patients Checklist provides guidance from day one. We invite you to join us in fueling these efforts to Make It Better for the osteosarcoma community by participating in our MIB Day of Giving on May 1st.

With hope,

The MIB Agents Team

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Ways to Connect this Month

View the Full Calendar

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Be The Hero We Need on May 1st

Join us for a 24-hour online event where you can support our mission to Make It Better for children and families facing osteosarcoma. Your donation inspires hope and helps kids with cancer. Thank you for using your powers for good!

Spotlight on Comparative Immunotherapy Program

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The Comparative Immunotherapy Program at UPenn is pioneering a comparative medicine approach to accelerate immunotherapy breakthroughs for both human and canine osteosarcoma patients. By studying naturally occurring cancers in dogs, researchers are uncovering novel treatments—including an NCI-funded clinical trial using engineered invariant Natural Killer T (iNKT) cells to target metastatic OS. With a focus on collaboration and cutting-edge research, this program is bringing new hope to the OS community.‍

Learn More About the Comparative Immunotherapy Program at UPenn

Career Connections

- Pediatric Hematology Oncology Faculty Position – Sarcoma - Cleveland Clinic

- Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only) Development of an Osteosarcoma-on-a-Chip Model to Investigate Chemoresistance in the Tumour Microenvironment

- Pediatric Oncologist and Medical Director - U of Utah

- Orthopaedic Oncology Surgeon - Dartmouth-Hitchcock

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If you have a job posting and you would like it included here, please email christina@mibagents.org.

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Newly Diagnosed Patient Checklist

Receiving an osteosarcoma diagnosis can feel overwhelming, but our Newly Diagnosed Patients Checklist helps families navigate the journey with confidence. This essential resource outlines key steps to take after diagnosis, including questions to ask your medical team, treatment considerations, and support options. Designed to empower patients and caregivers, the checklist ensures you have the information needed to make informed decisions and advocate for the best possible care.

Access the Checklist

Osteosarcoma in the News

- Carbon minibeam radiation therapy results in tumor growth delay in an osteosarcoma murine model

- Prediction of Patients With High-Risk Osteosarcoma on the Basis of XGBoost Algorithm Using Transcriptome and Methylation Data From SGH-OS Cohort

- Results of pulmonary metastasectomy for osteosarcoma in the pediatric age group

- Osteosarcoma exosome priming of primary human lung fibroblasts induces an immune modulatory and pro-tumorigenic phenotype

- Identification and characterization of mitochondrial autophagy-related genes in osteosarcoma and predicting clinical prognosis

- Methotrexate, Doxorubicin, and Cisplatin Versus Methotrexate, Doxorubicin, and Cisplatin + Ifosfamide in Poor Responders to Preoperative Chemotherapy for Newly Diagnosed High-Grade Osteosarcoma (JCOG0905): A Multicenter, Open-Label, Randomized Trial

- Immunological responses and clinical outcomes in dogs with osteosarcoma receiving standard therapy and a Listeria vaccine expressing HER2

PROGRAMS

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RESEARCH

FACTOR 2025 Scientific Program

FACTOR 2025 will feature a dynamic lineup of sessions designed to advance osteosarcoma research and foster collaboration between scientists, clinicians, and patients. Highlights include:

7 Scientific Panels

- Biological Drivers of Osteosarcoma

- Clinical Trials

- Collaborative Data Ecosystems

- Integrative Approaches to Advancing Osteosarcoma Immunotherapies

- Mechanisms of Resistance and Evolution

- Precision Medicine

- Tumor Heterogeneity and Microenvironment Interactions

2 Panels connecting patients & scientists through shared experiences & research funding

- Patient Panel

- OutSmarting Osteosarcoma 2025 Grant Program Award Presentations

2 Scientific Breakout Sessions

- SARC and Other Sarcoma mentorship and coaching for young investigators in sarcoma research

- CURE-OS Working Group: A blueprint for translating single cell discoveries into better osteosarcoma treatments

For a preview, register for A Guide to the FACTOR 2025 Scientific Panels webinar with Matteo Trucco, MD on May 8th at 3 pm ET.

View the FACTOR 2025 Scientific Program