Scientists may have found key to treating hidden cancer growths
Scientists may have found a way to stop the ‘silent killer’
- Researchers in Germany have potentially discovered how pancreatic cancer, often called the 'silent killer', hides from the immune system.
- The study identified that the MYC cancer gene not only promotes tumour growth but also camouflages tumours by suppressing alarm signals that would normally activate the immune system.
- Blocking this MYC mechanism in animals led to a dramatic 94 per cent reduction in tumour size, provided the animals' immune systems were intact.
- This breakthrough suggests new therapeutic avenues to make tumours visible and vulnerable to the body's own defences without harming healthy cells.
- The findings are expected to inform the development of new treatments for MYC-driven cancers, including childhood solid tumours, and enhance existing cancer therapies.