Potential Discovery for Targeted Cancer Therapies

Researchers in Trinity College Dublin (in Ireland) have made substantial progress towards figuring out how cancer cells self destruct, which can create an impact on cancer therapies in the future. A cellular process called "autophagy" which literally means "self eating" is the emphasis on this finding - a killer protein called Noxa is what triggers cancer ridden cells to basically eat themselves to death. This process is only imminent however when cells are starved.
Another factor is a mutation of a gene called Ras. This gene also triggers autophagy to self destruction of the tumor cells, by increasing the production of Noxa. Therefore, autophagy could be an "important safeguard" that hinders cancer development. Another gene was also discovered for the use of the drugs that can be delivered for this therapy treatment - to reactivate the self destruction pathway and maybe hinder tumor growth. Professor Martin, one of the leaders in this research discovery, stated "This discovery is an important step forward in our understanding of how cells in the early stages of cancer hit the autodestruct button and suggests new ways in which we may be able to re-activate this process in cancers that do manage to establish..."

I found this article to be particularly illuminating because of the fact that cancer research is one of the biggest tasks in our time - discovering the cure to cancer is a huge goal especially when more and more people become affected with this disease. Any progress or discovery made is obviously a good mark, and hopefully will piece the puzzle to what can be done to hinder cancer growth and cure/treat someone affected. This field is very interesting to me and I hope that more discoveries can lead to more progress for curing this disease.


Trinity College Dublin. "Discovery of killer cells has potential for targeted cancer therapies." ScienceDaily 25 February 2011. 27 February 2011 .

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110225091017.htm