Newcastle researchers have made a world-first discovery in the fight against cancer.
Researchers from the University of Newcastle and the Hunter Medical Research Institute say they’ve gained a greater understanding of the Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), also known as free radicals, which are produced by cancer cells, that damage healthy cells and limit the effectiveness of treatments.
In particular, the team have managed to develop a strategy to silence the production of acute myeloid leukemia cells and in turn strengthen their response to therapies.
The form of Leukemia shows up in the bone marrow and the blood and has a poor prognosis without treatment, affecting around 1,000 Australian’s every year.
Biomedical scientist, University of Newcastle Associate Professor Mat Dun, says reports of excessive ROS in cancer had increased in frequency in recent years, however before now, the specific mechanisms involved, were poorly understood.
“We set out to investigate the source of ROS in leukaemia cells and how ROS influences leukaemia cell growth, survival and response to anti-cancer therapies.
“Importantly, we believed that if we could identify the way in which ROS was perpetuating the malignancy, we could find a way to mitigate ROS production and control or reduce leukaemia cell growth and survival.
“We knew if we could find or develop drugs that targeted the proteins active or present in the leukaemia cells, we could impede the cancer’s ability to perpetually grow and survive.
“If future clinical trials confirm safety and effectiveness of the ROS-targeting drug, this approach will likely help a large subset of people with acute myeloid leukaemia, including those with drug-resistant disease,” Professor Dun said.
Image: Professor Matt Dun. Credit: University of Newcastle