Ryan Scott is an Associate Editor of CURE; she joined MJH Life Sciences in 2021. In addition to writing and editing timely news and article coverage, she manages CURE's

social media accounts; check us out @curetoday across platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, X, and Instagram! She also attends conferences live and virtually to conduct video interviews and produce written coverage. Email: rscott@mjhlifesciences.

Ryan Scott

Chester Freeman was diagnosed with bladder cancer and most recently with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

There are many instances where teddy bears can be the key to opening hearts and minds during cancer care.

Here are some ways in which a teddy bear may help adult cancer patients:

Teddy bears remind us of childhood and evoke a feeling of nostalgia. Pleasant memories of the past can comfort us and give us a sense of familiarity. A newly diagnosed cancer patient feels a lot of fear and anxiety. Good memories of the past are embedded in the teddy bear and provide a patient with a sense of calm.

Teddy bears reduce anxiety. New cancer patients are in the process of learning about the type of cancer they have and what treatment options are available to them. This causes stress. The teddy bear can help to reduce that stress through the sense of touch. Just like petting a dog can lower your cortisol level, the same is true for embracing and holding a teddy bear. An encompassing energy is present in the teddy bear that the patient experiences.

There is a mystical aspect about teddy bears in that they provide unconditional love. They are symbols of love. When a cancer patient holds a teddy bear, they feel loved. They feel a soothing connection. This is the reason teddy bears help patients who are grieving the loss of their breasts, bladder, testicles or prostate gland.

Teddy bears help patients to improve their coping skills, and they provide a sense of support that is tangible. They foster a type of inner strength. When cancer patients are confronted with handling insurance matters, legal and financial issues, it can be overwhelming. Having to establish living wills and medical powers of attorney can be frightening. Teddy bears can help to make cancer patients feel safe and comfortable in expressing how they feel. In doing so, teddy bears can help to improve our mental health and well-being.

Teddy bears make us smile. When cancer patients hold a teddy bear, it may often bring a smile to their face. This is a spontaneous response. The brain releases neurotransmitters of dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins, which help to improve the mood, reduce the heart rate, and even cause patients to relax. With so much going on in the mind of a cancer patient, this can cause them to stop and feel joy inside their body. And that joy radiates within them. When cancer patients are visited by loved ones and friends who care about them, that too, puts a smile on their face and that support helps to build resilience.

Overall, teddy bears are great healers. They can improve our motivations. The sense of touch provides support and help us to develop adaptability. Teddy bears can help to strengthen our faith and give us a great sense of security during the time when we’re diagnosed and when we’re beginning treatment. They provide hope throughout the treatment process, whether surgery, chemotherapy or radiation is involved. Teddy bears can help us to learn to accept ourselves as we are and support us when we’re losing our hair and grieving that loss.

There are three factors that a cancer patient may think about when they view a teddy bear. First, they are looking at the teddy bear’s facial expression. Next, they consider whether or not the teddy bear’s personality appeals to them. And finally, they decide if they like the color of the bear. When these factors coalesce in a cancer patient’s mind, a special internal connection takes place with the bear and this, for me, is where the mystical aspects complete that connection. There is an embracing energy. It’s something I can’t explain because it’s beyond words. The teddy bear is then able to help relieve the fear of a newly diagnosed patient having to go for a CT scan and PET scan. The teddy bear may accompany them and thus, may directly affect their attitude and ability to cope. There is an astonishing sense of protection. This is the power of a teddy bear.

When given to someone by family and friends or philanthropic organizations, teddy bears take on special meaning and significance. They can assist with removing doubt, fear, and uncertainty from a patient. They embody caregiving in their essence. When no one is around, the cancer patient still feels a heightened sense of presence, overflowing with love and support, embodied in the teddy bear. The patient is not alone, and they feel infinite compassion.

The Rotary Club of Easton, Pennsylvania, demonstrates this with their project called, “Valentine’s Day Teddy Bears for Oncology Patients.” They started giving out teddy bears on Valentine’s Day with a card that read: 

Roses are red, and violets are blue, to help you feel better, here’s a teddy bear for you.” This project has been going on for 24 years and the Rotary members have given out hundreds of bears. Initially, the focus of the project was on adult inpatient cancer patients receiving chemotherapy infusions. However, it became so popular that they are now giving bears to outpatients as well. Two years ago, they expanded their program to nearby hospitals that care for children with cancer as well as other medical concerns.

Oncology and Nursing Unit at Easton Hospital

In my opinion, this program validates how powerful teddy bears can be in the care of adult cancer patients, and it corroborates my clinical experiences. Regardless of the type of cancer a patient may have, a teddy bear is a great resource to help the patient on their cancer journey.

As adults, we all need support, and I think there’s no better way to gain that support than by having a teddy bear in our room. They make everyone smile! And they’re a great source of therapy for all of us!

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Articles

Teddy bears play a significant role in providing emotional support to adult cancer patients. They evoke nostalgia, reduce anxiety, and offer unconditional love, helping patients cope with the stress of diagnosis and treatment. The tactile comfort of a teddy bear can improve mood and mental well-being, fostering resilience and adaptability. Programs like the Rotary Club's "Valentine’s Day Teddy Bears for Oncology Patients" highlight their therapeutic value. Overall, teddy bears serve as a comforting presence, offering hope and security throughout the cancer journey.

The Healing Power of Teddy Bears for Adults With Cancer

The phase 1/2 STARLIGHT-1 trial evaluating EB103 has dosed the first patient  with advanced B-cell NHL: © stock.adobe.com.

The phase 1/2 STARLIGHT-1 trial has dosed the first patient in the second cohort of the dose escalation study which is evaluating the CD19-redirected Artemis T-cell therapy, EB103, for the treatment of patients with advanced B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL), according to a news release from Estrella Immunopharma, Inc.

“We are excited to announce another important milestone in our STARLIGHT-1 trial and are encouraged by the favorable safety profile and the complete response observed in the first cohort,” said Cheng Liu, CEO of Estrella. “EB103 has a significant potential to address key limitations of traditional CAR-T therapies by mitigating safety risks and expanding accessibility to high-risk patient groups, including those with HIV-associated lymphoma and central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma — conditions that are excluded from existing CAR-T options. We look forward to evaluating EB103 at higher doses and delivering the treatments to patients soon.”

EB103 is being evaluated at a higher dose level in the second cohort of the study, the news release continues. This decision follows a safety review of data from the first dose cohort, as no dose-limiting toxicities were reported. Moreover, there were no treatment-related side effects observed in the first cohort of patients.

“The initiation of dosing in the second cohort reflects steady progress in Estrella’s mission to complete phase 1 of STARLIGHT-1," the company emphasized in the news release.

EB103 is a T-cell therapy, also known as the CD19-Redirected Artemis T-Cell Therapy, which is based on Artemis technology licensed from Estrella Immunopharma’s parent company, Eureka Therapeutics, Inc. Unlike conventional CAR-T cells, Artemis T cells such as EB103 are designed to be activated and regulated after being engaged with cancer targets, closely mimicking the natural function of endogenous T cell receptors.

Following infusion, EB103 T cells target and bind to CD19-expressing cancer cells, leading to their destruction.

Breaking Down the Phase 1/2 STARLIGHT-1 Trial

The phase 1/2 STARLIGHT-1 trial is an open-label, dose escalation, multi-center study which is evaluating the safety, and determining a recommended phase 2 dose of EB103 in adult patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell NHL. The study also includes a dose escalation phase, as well as an expansion phase, according to the trial information listed on clinicaltrials.gov.

Eligible participants must be 18 years or older with histologically confirmed relapsed or refractory B-cell NHL. Participants must have adequate organ function and have experienced disease progression under specific conditions. These include progression after two or more prior lines of systemic therapy or, for patients with Burkitt lymphoma, precursor B-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma or mantle cell lymphoma, after one or more lines.

Additional qualifying factors include recurrence within 12 months following autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), or, in transplant-ineligible individuals and progression on defined first- and second-line therapies, the clinicaltrials.gov webpage continued.

Exclusion criteria include prior exposure to CD19-targeted cellular therapies or a history of Richter transformation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Individuals with unresolved primary malignancies, active or progressing central nervous system involvement or cardiac lymphoma unresponsive to treatment are ineligible. Other disqualifying conditions include significant recent cardiac events, uncontrolled infections, autoimmune diseases causing end-organ damage or requiring immunosuppressants within the past 2 years and hypersensitivity to study agents.

Eligible patients will be enrolled onto the study, where a traditional dose escalation model will be used to determine the recommended phase 2 dose of EB103. Once a dose has been decided, the expansion phase will be underway. Moreover, additional participants will be enrolled in the expansion portion of the study to further confirm the safety profile of EB103 as well as evaluate the preliminary efficacy of the agent.

The phase 1/2 STARLIGHT-1 trial is currently recruiting participants, according to Estrella Immunopharma’s website.

The study has one location, according to clinicaltrials.gov, which is in Sacramento, California, at the University of California, Davis, UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center.

The phase 1/2 STARLIGHT-1 trial has dosed the first patient in the second cohort of the study evaluating EB103 in advanced B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas.

First Patient Treated in Second Cohort of STARLIGHT-1 B-Cell NHL Trial

Blocking serotonin transporters with SSRIs enhanced immunotherapy response in mouse and human tumor models: © stock.adobe.com.

Serotonin transporter (SERT) acted as an immune checkpoint in tumors, according to study findings published in 

, and inhibiting SERT with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors — a class of antidepressants — boosted CD8 T cell antitumor activity in not just mouse, but also human tumor models.

“It turns out selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors don’t just make our brains happier; they also make our T cells happier — even while they’re fighting tumors,” Dr. Lili Yang, senior author of the study, said in a news release from UCLA. “These drugs have been widely and safely used to treat depression for decades, so repurposing them for cancer would be a lot easier than developing an entirely new therapy.”

Yang serves as a professor of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, and is a member of the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA, UCLA Health.

It turns out selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors don’t just make our brains happier; they also make our T cells happier — even while they’re fighting tumors.

In addition, treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors enhanced the effect of treatment with anti-PD-1 therapy, and high levels of SERT — an intratumoral serotonin transporter — within tumors were linked with worse survival. This connection was seen in various solid tumor models including melanoma, breast cancer, lung cancer, kidney cancer and sarcoma.

These results suggest the serotonin pathway plays a key role in immune regulation and support further exploration of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors as potential tools in cancer immunotherapy, according to study authors.

What is SERT and Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors?

SERT is a key part of the serotonin axis that regulates serotonin concentrations by transporting serotonin from the extracellular to the intracellular environment. Although SERT is widely studied in the brain for its role in mood and behavior, it also plays an important role in immune cells and peripheral tissues, where it helps control serotonin’s effects on inflammation, metabolism and tissue repair. Because SERT controls how much serotonin is available outside the cell, it is a primary drug target for medications that aim to adjust serotonin signaling.

CD8 T cells: immune cells that kill cancer cells.

Immune checkpoint: molecule that can slow down immune responses; SERT acts as one in tumors.

PD-1 blockade: type of immunotherapy that removes brakes on immune cells, helping them attack cancer.

Serotonin axis: system that controls how serotonin functions in the body, including in the immune system.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, also known as SSRIs, are the most commonly prescribed class of antidepressants, designed to increase serotonin levels outside cells by blocking SERT, the protein that transports serotonin back inside. By doing this, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors boost serotonin’s ability to activate its receptors, which can improve mood and emotional well-being. Medications like Prozac (fluoxetine), Celexa (citalopram) and Zoloft (sertraline) fall into this category.

Beyond their use in treating depression, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are being studied for their potential to affect the immune system and possibly support cancer immunotherapy by influencing how serotonin behaves in the tumor environment.

Researchers previously identified MAO-A, an enzyme that breaks down serotonin, as a player in shaping immune responses to cancer. In this study, they reveal that the serotonin axis within tumors plays a key role in how CD8 T cells fight cancer. The team found that SERT acts as a powerful brake on this immune activity, making it a beneficial new immune checkpoint target. In contrast to its role in the nervous system, SERT functions differently in tumor-infiltrating T cells due to dynamic expression patterns, local serotonin signaling and distinct receptor pathways.

Building on earlier findings that these antidepressants can boost antitumor immunity by blocking monoamine breakdown, the study now shows that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors — which selectively inhibit SERT — achieve similar or better immune effects with fewer risks. Unlike MAOIs, which can cause serious side effects, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors avoided toxic immune reactions and behavioral issues in mice.

These results position selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors as safer and more effective tools for harnessing the serotonin pathway in future cancer immunotherapy strategies.

"Together, the human T cell and clinical correlation data support our model of SERT-mediated negative regulation of human antitumor CD8 T cell immunity and position SSRI antidepressants as promising candidates for next-generation cancer immunotherapy," Yang and colleagues concluded in the journal.

“Serotonin transporter inhibits antitumor immunity through regulating the intratumoral serotonin axis” by Dr. Bo Li, et al., 

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), commonly used antidepressants, have been found to enhance CD8 T cell antitumor activity by inhibiting the serotonin transporter (SERT), which acts as an immune checkpoint in tumors. This discovery suggests that SSRIs could be repurposed for cancer immunotherapy, offering a safer alternative to monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) with fewer side effects. The study highlights the serotonin pathway's significant role in immune regulation and its potential in improving cancer treatment outcomes, particularly when combined with anti-PD-1 therapy.

Blocking serotonin transporters with antidepressants boosted CD8 T cell function and enhanced immunotherapy response in mouse and human tumor models. 

Antidepressants May Boost Antitumor Immunity

Braftovi and Erbitux plus chemo improved survival without progression over standard therapy in BRAF V600E-mutant mCRC in the first-line setting: © stock.adobe.com.

Updated data from the phase 3 BREAKWATER trial showed that combining Braftovi (encorafenib) and Erbitux (cetuximab) with mFOLFOX6 chemotherapy (modified fluorouracil, leucovorin and oxaliplatin) elicited a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival versus standard-of-care therapy in the first-line treatment for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) harboring BRAF V600E mutations.

Findings were presented in a press briefing ahead of the 

. Of the 236 patients treated with Braftovi plus Erbitux and mFOLFOX6, the median PFS was 12.8 at a median follow-up of 16.8 months. This number was 7.1 months at a median follow-up of 9.8 months among the 243 patients given standard-of-care treatment.

Additionally, Braftovi plus Erbitux and mFOLFOX6 generated a median overall survival of 30.3 months versus 15.1 months with standard-of-care. The estimated 12- and 24-month overall survival rates in the experimental arm were 80.1% and 52.0%, respectively. These respective rates were 66.0% and 29.0% in the standard-of-care treatment arm.

“Braftovi [in combination with] Erbitux and mFOLFOX6 — the BREAKWATER regimen — is a practice-changing, new standard-of-care for [patients] with mCRC with a 

 V600E mutation,” lead study author Elena Elez, MD, PhD, said during the press briefing.

Elez is an attending physician in the Gastrointestinal Tumors Service of the Medical Oncology Service at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital and principal investigator of the Gastrointestinal Tumor Group and Endocrine of Vall d'Hebron Instituto de Oncología in Barcelona, Spain.

the FDA granted accelerated approval to Braftovi in combination with Erbitux and mFOLFOX6

 for patients with mCRC with a BRAF V600E mutation, as detected by an FDA-approved test. The regulatory decision was based on previously reported data from BREAKWATER, which showed that among the first 110 patients treated in each arm, the overall response rate was 61% for the combination versus 40% for standard-of-care. The median duration of response was 13.9 months and 11.1 months, respectively.

The open-label, multicenter study enrolled patients at least 16 years of age (or at least 18 years of age, based on the country), with mCRC who had measurable disease per RECIST 1.1 criteria and had not received prior systemic therapy in the metastatic setting. The presence of a BRAF V600E mutation was required, per local or central testing. Patients also needed to have an ECOG performance status of 0 or 1, along with adequate bone marrow, hepatic and renal function.

Combining Braftovi and Erbitux with mFOLFOX6 elicited a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival versus standard-of-care therapy in the first-line treatment for patients with  mCRC harboring BRAF V600E mutations.

Key exclusion criteria comprised prior exposure to BRAF or EGFR inhibitors; symptomatic brain metastases; microsatellite instability-high/mismatch repair-deficient tumors, unless patients were ineligible for immune checkpoint inhibitors; and RAS-mutated disease.

Investigators randomly assigned 637 patients fashion to receive Braftovi plus Erbitux alone (158 patients); Braftovi in combination with Erbitux and chemo (236 patients); or standard-of-care (243 patients). Enrollment to the Braftovi/Erbitux alone cohort was stopped following a protocol amendment and subsequently enrolled patients were randomly assigned between the other two arms.

Treatment in the standard-of-care arm included mFOLFOX6, FOLFOXIRI (fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin and irinotecan), or CAPOX (capecitabine and oxaliplatin) with or without Avastin (bevacizumab).

Stratification factors included region (United States/Canada versus Europe versus rest of world) and ECOG performance status (0 versus 1).

Overall response rate and progression-free survival per blinded independent central review served as the trial’s dual primary end points. Overall survival was a key secondary end point.

Data from the cohort of patients who received Braftovi plus Erbitux without chemo showed that the median progression-free survival was 6.8 months and the median overall survival was 19.5 months.

Updated response data demonstrated that the overall response rate for Braftovi plus Erbitux and chemo was 65.7%; the rates of complete response, partial response, stable disease  and progressive disease in this arm were 4.7%, 61.0%, 21.2% and 3.4%, respectively. In the standard-of-care arm, the overall response rate was 37.4% (95% CI, 31.6%-43.7%) with a complete response rate of 3.3%, a partial response rate of 34.2%, a stable disease rate of 35.0% and a progressive disease rate of 8.6%. In the Braftovi/Erbitux alone arm, the ORR was 45.6% with complete, partial response, stable disease and progressive rates of 1.9%, 43.7%, 36.1% and 7.6%, respectively.

The median time to response was 7.0 weeks (range, 5.1-103.6) for Braftovi/Erbitux/mFOLFOX6, 7.3 weeks (range, 5.4-48.0) for standard-of-care and 6.6 weeks (range, 4.3-86.4) for Braftovi/Erbitux. The median duration of response was 13.9 months, 10.8 months and 7.0 months, respectively.

In the Braftovi/Erbitux/chemo arm, the 6- and 12-month duration of response rates were 71.0% and 34.8%, respectively. These respective rates were 41.8% and 17.6% in the standard-of-care arm; they were 40.3% and 20.8%, respectively, for Braftovi/Erbitux alone.

At data cutoff, 28.4% of patients in the Braftovi/Erbitux/chemo arm remained on treatment compared with 6.6% in the standard-of-care arm and 7.6% of patients in the Braftovi/Erbitux arm. Subsequent therapy was administered to 63.9% of patients in the Braftovi/Erbitux/chemo group versus 61.2% in the standard-of-care group and 73.3% in the Braftovi/Erbitux group. A BRAF inhibitor–based regimen was given as subsequent therapy to 71.9% of the 139 patients in the standard-of-care arm who received additional treatment.

The median time to second disease progression or death was 20.7 months in the Braftovi/Erbitux/chemo arm, 12.7 months in the standard-of-care arm and 14.3 months in the Braftovi/Erbitux arm.

Regarding safety, the Braftovi plus Erbitux and chemo regimen was generally tolerable with a consistent safety profile. No substantial increases in chemotherapy dose reductions or discontinuation were observed compared with the standard-of-care arm.

Any-grade side effects were reported in all patients in the Braftovi/Erbitux/chemo arm, 99.1% of patients in the standard-of-care arm and 97.4% of patients in the Braftovi/Erbitux arm. The rates of grade 3 (severe) or grade 4 (life-threatening) side effects were 81.5%, 66.8% and 42.5%, respectively. The respective rates of grade 5 (death) events were 4.3%, 4.4% and 2.6%. One grade 5 side effect in the standard-of-care arm was deemed treatment related.

The most common grade 1/2 side effects included nausea (combination, 51%; standard-of-care, 46%), anemia (31%; 21%), diarrhea (41%; 46%), decreased appetite (35%; 26%), vomiting (32%; 20%), decreased neutrophil count (15%; 12%), arthralgia (29%; 5%), rash (29%; 4%), asthenia (24%; 14%), pyrexia (27%; 15%), peripheral neuropathy (20%; 20%), constipation (27%; 22%), peripheral sensory neuropathy (20%; 20%) and fatigue (24%; 24%).

The most frequently reported grade 3/4 side effects included nausea (combination, 3%; standard-of-care, 4%), anemia (15%; 4%), diarrhea (1%; 5%), decreased appetite (2%; 1%), vomiting (4%; 2%), decreased neutrophil count (19%; 17%), arthralgia (3%; <1%), rash (1%; 0%), asthenia (5%; 1%), pyrexia (2%; <1%), peripheral neuropathy (8%; 4%), constipation (<1%; <1%), peripheral sensory neuropathy (7%; 4%) and fatigue (3%; 4%).

Side effects led to permanent discontinuation of any study treatment in 26.7% of patients in the Braftovi/Erbitux/chemo arm, 17.5% of patients in the standard-of-care arm and 13.1% of patients in the Braftovi/Erbitux arm. Side effects led to dose reductions of any treatment in 65.5%, 54.1% and 10.5% of patients, respectively. The rates of side effects leading to dose reductions were 59.9% in the Braftovi/Erbitux/chemo arm and 54.1% in the standard-of-care arm. Side effects led to the discontinuation of chemotherapy (with or without Avastin) in 20.7% of the patients in the Braftovi/Erbitux/chemo group versus 17.5% in the standard-of-care group.

Elez E, Yoshino T, Shen L, et al. First-line encorafenib + cetuximab + mFOLFOX6 in BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer (BREAKWATER): progression-free survival and updated overall survival analyses. 

. 2025;43(suppl 17):LBA3500. doi:10.1200/JCO.2025.43.17_suppl.LBA3500

Elez E, Yoshino T, Shen L, et al. Encorafenib, cetuximab, and mFOLFOX6 in BRAF-mutated colorectal cancer. 

. Published online May 30, 2025. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2501912

The phase 3 BREAKWATER trial demonstrated that combining Braftovi (encorafenib) and Erbitux (cetuximab) with mFOLFOX6 chemotherapy significantly improved progression-free survival in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) with BRAF V600E mutations compared to standard-of-care. The combination also showed a median overall survival of 30.3 months versus 15.1 months for standard treatment. The regimen was well-tolerated, with manageable side effects. The FDA granted accelerated approval for this combination in December 2024, establishing it as a new standard-of-care for this patient population.

Braftovi and Erbitux plus chemotherapy improved survival without progression over standard therapy in BRAF V600E-mutant mCRC in the first-line setting.

Ryan Scott

The Healing Power of Teddy Bears for Adults With Cancer

First Patient Treated in Second Cohort of STARLIGHT-1 B-Cell NHL Trial

Antidepressants May Boost Antitumor Immunity

Braftovi and Erbitux Plus Chemo Improves Outcomes for BRAF V600E+ mCRC

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