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Scientists have uncovered promising new therapies to halt the progression of bowel and liver cancers. Experts at the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute in Glasgow examined cancer-causing genes, focusing particularly on bowel and liver tissue, to understand why these genes trigger malignancies in certain areas of the body.
The research team, operating under the Cancer Grand Challenges programme established by Cancer Research UK and the National Cancer Institute, concentrated on genetic defects that enable cancer to commandeer the body’s cellular signalling network, which dictates when cells should multiply and when they should remain dormant.
Malignant cells can then exploit this mechanism, known as the WNT pathway, to develop tumours within the intestine and liver. Fresh findings published in Nature Genetics have revealed that a protein termed nucleophosmin (NPM1), which plays a role in growth regulation, was present at elevated concentrations in bowel cancer and certain liver cancers due to genetic mutations in the WNT pathway.
Through inhibiting this protein, scientists discovered it might be feasible to create novel treatments for particular cancers that exploit the body’s growth mechanisms via this genetic malfunction.
Professor Owen Sansom, who led the research project and serves as director of the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute and the University of Glasgow, explained: “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 forms part of the SpecifiCancer project, which examines why certain cancer-causing genes only trigger cancers in particular tissues. Scientists identified a method to target some of the genetic faults responsible for difficult-to-treat cancers in these organs.
Scotland records among the highest rates of bowel and liver cancer across the UK. Approximately 4,200 people receive a bowel cancer diagnosis annually in the UK, and it continues to be the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Scotland, taking roughly 1,700 lives each year.
Recent research from the American Cancer Society, published in The Lancet Oncology, revealed that early-onset bowel cancer rates among adults aged 25-49 are increasing in 27 of the 50 countries examined, with rates rising more rapidly in young Scottish and English women than in young men.
Around 670 people lose their lives to liver cancer in Scotland annually. Proteins are vital for constructing bodily structures, including skin, hair and other tissues, but occasionally the body’s messaging system malfunctions, leading to tumour development.
Such malfunctions can stem from mutations in the body’s messaging system, which relay incorrect instructions from DNA, triggering uncontrolled cell growth. SpecifiCancer received joint funding from Cancer Research UK and the Mark Foundation for Cancer Research in 2019 to explore why certain cancer-causing genes only trigger cancers in particular tissues, searching for patterns that could lead to more personalised treatments for patients or specific body regions.
The latest study concentrated on bowel and liver cancers, though the research team anticipates their discoveries could apply to other cancer types. Scientists will now look for medical therapies that can prevent the creation of the NPM1 protein.
Current treatments are capable of slowing tumour development, so if a novel drug targeting NPM1 in a similar manner can be identified, it might offer a secure and efficient approach to treating specific 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.”
