HealthMedical XpressContinuously evolving cells help pancreatic cancer evade treatment and spread
A major new study has revealed how pancreatic cancer cells continuously rewire their DNA to dodge treatment, and found that blocking a specific gene could make them vulnerable again.
An analysis of nearly half a million cells from dozens of patients' tumors reveals how cancer cells continuously reshape their genetic makeup over time, enabling them to evade treatment for one of the deadliest forms of cancer.
Researchers at NYU Langone Health analysed nearly half a million cells from pancreatic cancer tumours and found cancer cells continuously reshape their DNA to evade treatment.
The study, published in Nature Genetics, found that blocking the MYC gene reverted aggressive cancer cells to a less aggressive form and made them more vulnerable to immune attack.
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma kills nearly 85 per cent of patients within five years, and the findings suggest targeting tumour evolution mechanisms could open new treatment paths.
The study found that blocking the MYC gene reverted aggressive cancer cells to a less aggressive form and exposed them to immune attack, which researchers say could point toward new treatment…
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