Is understanding the life of cells the key to a cure for cancer? This was the question tackled by one of Australia's leading researchers at a science lecture this week who said new insights into what makes cells tick are leading to potential treatments for cancer.
Professor Suzanne Cory, president of the Australian Academy of Science, as well as Research Professor in the Molecular Genetics of Cancer Division at The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute presented a lecture at ANSTO outlining the long journey of discovery that is now contributing to promising clinical trials of some cancer treatments.
Speaking at the latest of ANSTO's Distinguished Lecture series, the renowned microbiologist explained that we are all made up of billions of cells.
“When dying cells are replaced and there is the right amount of cell production and cell death, it’s known as homeostasis. If there is too little replacement of dying cells, we suffer degenerative diseases, and if cells grow uncontrollably, we suffer from diseases such as cancer,” Professor Cory said.
Most cells undergo a programmed form of death known as apoptosis – also known as the dance of death. However activated cancer-causing genes known as oncogenes can cause those cells that ought to die to survive and proliferate instead.
“It is this over-expression of pro-survival proteins that increases resistance to cell death,” Professor Cory said.
The good news is that some compounds can also block this resistance to normal cell death and effectively kill off cancer cells.
One such mimetic, known as ABT-737 is currently showing early positive results in clinical trials and may prove to be a new treatment for certain kinds of tumours and leukemia.
Published: 26/10/2011