Sylvester Cancer Tip Sheet: February 2026

New study may help overcome chemotherapy resistance and restore power of cancer drugs

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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A new study from researchers at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine's Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center may have found a way to overcome the long-standing problem of chemotherapy resistance. The study, published in Genes & Development, explains how blocking a key protein forces damaged cancer cells into a state of uncontrolled transcriptional activity, creating novel cellular stress that can make even chemo-resistant tumors sensitive again to treatment.

Why it matters

Chemotherapy resistance is a major challenge in cancer treatment, as it can limit the effectiveness of widely used chemotherapy drugs. This new approach identified by Sylvester researchers could help restore the power of these drugs and improve outcomes for cancer patients.

The details

The study found that by blocking a key protein, cancer cells are forced into a state of uncontrolled transcriptional activity, creating new cellular stress that can make even chemo-resistant tumors sensitive to treatment again. This could provide a workaround for the longstanding problem of chemotherapy resistance.

  • The study was published this month in Genes & Development.

The players

University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

The academic medical center where the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center is located and where the new cancer research was conducted.

Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center

South Florida's only NCI-designated cancer center, which conducted the research on overcoming chemotherapy resistance.

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The takeaway

This new approach identified by Sylvester researchers could help restore the power of widely used chemotherapy drugs and improve outcomes for cancer patients struggling with chemotherapy resistance, a major challenge in cancer treatment.