Researchers in Glasgow have discovered a new way to treat bowel and liver cancers by blocking a protein that fuels tumor growth. The breakthrough targets nucleophosmin (NPM1), found in high levels in these cancers due to genetic errors, and could offer a safe treatment option for hard-to-treat cases affecting thousands of patients.
Scientists at the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute found that removing NPM1 causes cancer cells to struggle with protein production. This activates a tumor suppressor, preventing cancer growth. The protein is not essential for normal adult tissue health, making it a promising target for treatment.
The discovery is particularly significant for Scotland, where bowel cancer claims about 1,700 lives annually as the second most common cause of cancer death. Liver cancer kills about 670 people each year in Scotland. Across the UK, approximately 4,200 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer annually.
Rising cancer rates
Early-onset bowel cancer rates are rising globally, affecting 27 of 50 countries studied. A study published in The Lancet Oncology by the American Cancer Society found rates increasing faster in young women in Scotland and England than in young men.
Professor Owen Sansom, who led the research team at the University of Glasgow, said: «Because NPM1 isn't essential for normal adult tissue health, blocking it could be a safe way to treat certain cancers, like some hard-to-treat bowel and liver cancers. We found that if NPM1 is removed, cancer cells struggle to make proteins properly and this allows a tumour suppressor to activate, preventing cancer growth. Increasing numbers of people are affected by these cancers, with some treatments unfortunately limited for some patients, so finding a new way to tackle these cancers is crucial.»
The research, published in Nature Genetics, is part of the SpecifiCancer project. The initiative, co-funded in 2019 by Cancer Research UK and the Mark Foundation for Cancer Research, investigates why certain cancer-causing genes affect only specific tissues.
Next steps
The team now aims to develop medical treatments to block NPM1 production. Such a drug could complement existing therapies that slow tumor growth. Researchers believe the findings may also apply to other cancer types beyond bowel and liver cancers.
Dr David Scott, director of Cancer Grand Challenges, said: «Scientific breakthroughs like this demonstrate the power of Cancer Grand Challenges to bring together the world's best minds to transform our understanding of how cancer starts and, crucially, how we treat it. By scrutinising the fundamental processes that drive cancer, we can tackle the disease at its beginnings, driving progress towards real-world impact for people affected by cancer.»
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
