Stopping a protein can stop the spread of ovarian cancer: study
Jul 13, 2019, 15:39 IST
According to a researcher, successful prevention of a certain protein from doing its job can keep a type of ovarian cancer cell from spreading and dividing uncontrollably in a lab.
Katherine Aird, one of the researchers of this study had also identified a potential method to put high-grade serous ovarian cancer cells in a “sleep state” called senescence. Katherine Aird, the other researcher of the study in her lab, has identified a potential method to put high-grade serous ovarian cancer cells in a "sleep state" called senescence. "One of the biggest problems of cancer cells is they can grow forever without stimulus. By inducing senescence, the cells can no longer divide and grow," said Aird.
"The Food and Drug Administration has already approved a drug that targets the mutant form of the protein. One of the drugs that target the mutant form can also target the wildtype form. One of our long-term goals is to try and repurpose this already-approved drug as a treatment for this form of ovarian cancer," Aird said.
The team also found that inhibition of the wildtype form of the protein could be an effective strategy for further therapies for all stages of high-grade serous ovarian cancer. When these cells spread to other parts of the body, they adopt a form that is different from the original cancer cells.
"It is important that therapies are effective at later stages, as this is when ovarian cancer patients are typically diagnosed," said Dahl.