Discovering improved treatments for blood cancer
3 min read 11 July 2025
Blood cancers like lymphoma are among the most challenging to treat. They can spread quickly and recur frequently. But at Peter Mac, leading cancer researchers are working tirelessly to improve outcomes for people affected by these aggressive cancers. And one of those researchers is Associate Professor Mary Ann Anderson.
A/Prof Anderson's innovative research will help lead to new, targeted therapies that can zero in on cancer mutations. This will mean better outcomes for people who hear the words “you have cancer”.
For someone like Leigh, a young man who was diagnosed with cancer not once, but twice, research like this promises to be life-changing and life-saving.
Peter Mac researcher A/Prof Anderson in her lab
It’s stories like Leigh’s that inspire researchers like A/Prof Anderson to push for kinder, more effective cancer treatments.
Why improved treatments for blood cancer matter
In A/Prof Anderson’s lab, ground-breaking discoveries are unfolding.
Her team’s research focuses on targeting the mutations and survival proteins that allow cancer cells to grow and spread. And right now, they are working to discover more targeted lymphoma treatments. Ones that not only destroy cancer cells but also protects healthy cells, leading to more effective treatment, with fewer side effects.
In the labs at Peter Mac, A/Prof Anderson and her team are working to discover kinder, more effective treatments for blood cancers like lymphoma.
As A/Prof Anderson explains:
“Chemotherapy is designed to kill rapidly dividing cells, so it targets cancer cells more than other cells. But of course, it's not just cancer that divides quickly. The bone marrow, the gut, and many other important cells divide quickly too.
“But, with these newer agents, we can target known genetic changes in the cancer that are not present in normal cells – to try and kill the cancer cells while preserving normal cells.
“By doing this, we can kill cancer without those well-documented side effects that can be associated with chemotherapy. We can develop better treatments for people with cancer.”
This research has the potential to change how the cancer is treated. With more support from people like you, research like this could help change and save lives.
Your support is changing – and saving – lives
Thanks to the support of the Peter Mac community, A/Prof Anderson’s team is excited to take critical next steps in their ground-breaking research. Steps towards gathering important patient samples, creating a library of research data, and welcoming more lymphoma patients into clinical trials.
“These new treatments have the potential to increase long-term remissions. And they could even provide cures for more patients. The impact of this work is enormous, life-saving, and your support is a big part of it.” – A/Prof Anderson.
The kindness of Peter Mac supporters is a driving force behind some of the world’s most cutting-edge cancer research.
By helping to accelerate cancer research right here, you’re giving the brightest minds in cancer research the resources and opportunities they need to push the boundaries, uncover new cures, and save lives.
Looking for ways to deepen your impact?
If A/Prof Anderson’s groundbreaking work has inspired you, why not take it a step further and become a Discovery Partner?
By making a regular monthly donation, you’ll support life-saving research every single day. And help researchers like A/Prof Anderson to accelerate their important work, so it can save more lives sooner.
“It is through the generous donations of Peter Mac supporters that our ground-breaking research is possible” – A/Prof Anderson.