Liposarcoma is a rare cancer that starts in fat cells. There are different types of liposarcoma, but the two most common are called well-differentiated liposarcoma (WDLPS) and dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLPS). WDLPS usually grows slowly and is less aggressive. DDLPS grows faster and is more dangerous. Many patients with liposarcoma are first diagnosed with WDLPS, but over time their cancer can change and turn into DDLPS. Doctors do not fully understand why this change happens, and it makes the disease harder to treat.

Through our research at the University of Manitoba, we aim to learn what causes liposarcoma tumors to change and become more aggressive. Our research focuses on two proteins, called TAZ and YAP, which we believe play an important role in helping tumors change from WDLPS to DDLPS. By studying the role of these two proteins in liposarcoma, we hope to learn why some liposarcoma tumors change over time and become harder to treat.

This research is important because current treatment options for aggressive liposarcoma are limited. If TAZ and YAP are found to play an important role in making liposarcoma more aggressive, medicines that block these proteins could become new treatment options for patients with liposarcoma. Ultimately, this work could lead to new treatments that stop or slow liposarcoma tumors from changing to become more dangerous, which will help improve outcomes and quality of life for people living with liposarcoma.