2023-10-10 10:36:36
Scientists have figured out how to starve a pancreatic tumor to start the process of self-destruction. This type of tumor has unique metabolic properties that make existing treatments ineffective. Discovery overcomes this barrier.
Pancreatic cancer has a very low survival rate – most patients live no more than a few months after detection of the tumor. The main reason for this trend is the physical properties of the tumor, which is packed in dense connective tissue that blocks the supply of oxygen. These features block the possibilities of modern treatment methods.
Understanding this, scientists decided to study the unique metabolic properties of the tumor. For example, it is known to depend on glutamine, which is necessary for growth and survival. It was not possible to inhibit glutamine, so they decided to replace it with an analogue – a DON molecule with a similar structure. This deception led to the desired results: in mouse models, the treatment significantly slowed the growth of cancer and stopped its progression, reported on the Sanford Burnham Medical Research Institute website.
The combination of DON with existing drugs also showed significant effectiveness – the treatment prevented metastasis to distant organs.
Scientists see great promise for a new strategy in the course of pancreatic cancer. The safety of DON is already being studied in other clinical trials, so we can soon expect to test this new approach in patients with pancreatic tumors.
Previously, in another study, scientists showed that a combination of two treatments can reverse the growth of pancreatic tumors.
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