Breakthrough Lung Cancer Drug Could Detect It Early And Stop The Deadly Disease From Spreading Around The Body
#1 Researchers have discovered a drug that prevent lung cancer from spreading around the body
Researchers have discovered a new drug that could potentially stop lung cancer and detect the disease before it spreads around the body.
The breakthrough could pave way for life-saving treatments after Melbourne researchers from Hudson Institute of Medical Science identified an inflammation-causing molecule that triggers the deadly disease to spread to the lungs.
The drug, which is currently undergoing clinical human trials to fight inflammatory bowel disease in Europe, appears to shut the signalling system down that is responsible for developing lung cells, The Herald Sun reported.
The discovery could lead to new ways of blocking the disease - giving a glimmer hope to more than 12,000 Australians, who were diagnosed with lung cancer this year.
Blood tests may help researchers find ways to detect the molecule Interleukin 6 or Il-6 and develop a drug that could prevent lung cells from passing on signals to grow in an uncontrolled way.
#2 Researchers have identified an inflammation-causing molecule that triggers the deadly disease (stock image)
Lead researcher Prof Brendan Jenkins said the screening could one day detect the abnormal cells in the body before the danger is switched on.
'The beauty of the study we have done is that we have shown that yes, the molecule is increased in the blood and tissue biopsies, but importantly we have shown that if you target Il-6 and block it you will see a suppression of disease in lung cancer,' he said.
#3 Lead researcher Prof Brendan Jenkins (pictured) said the drug has been effective in halting the disease
German collaborators at the University of Kiel have developed a radical new drug sgp130Fc in a bid to target a similar signalling process in inflammatory bowel disease.
The drug contains a naturally occurring receptor that could potentially block the molecule from attaching itself to lung cells - the most aggressive form of the disease - and stop tumour growth.
Prof Jenkins, who is monitoring the European trials, said the existing drug has been effective in halting the disease that could help the tens of thousands of lung-cancer patients.
'You see a dramatic reduction in the amount of tumours forming - they just don't seem to grow anywhere near as well as the tumours would if sgp130Fc was not there,' Prof Jenkins said.
'It is very effective at blocking and retarding the growth of these tumours.'
