Molecule able to fight brain cancer found
April 22nd, 2011 - 12:11 pm ICT by IANSWashington, April 22 (IANS) Extending the hope to live longer than expected for patients suffering from brain cancer, a team of scientists has found a molecule that is able to induce death of brain cancer cells, stated the journal PLoS One released recently.
According to the Institute of Biomedical Research of Bellvitge, Catalonia, in Spain, the molecule Nutlin-3 activates a protein called p53 that kills the cells and prevents the return of glioblastoma multiforme, the most common and most aggressive type of primary brain tumour among humans, Prensa Latina reported.
Despite current treatments to stop it as well as innovation in neurosurgery, radiation therapy and clinical trials of therapeutic agents, most patients die within two years of diagnosis.
Scientists, with this new discovery, hope to improve the treatment of glioblastoma and increase years of survival of patients.
With therapy based on the Nutlin-3a, it may be possible that cancer cells do not have the ability to recover after radiation.
- Vitamin C hastens brain tumour's death - Feb 20, 2012
- Protein that could treat aggressive brain tumour identified - Dec 23, 2009
- New procedure busts deadly brain tumour cells - Feb 06, 2012
- 'Designer protein' opens new door in cancer research - Aug 04, 2010
- Genes that drive aggressive brain cancers identified - Dec 24, 2009
- Bad cholesterol feeds brain tumours - Sep 16, 2011
- Potential therapeutic target for brain cancer identified - Feb 23, 2010
- Mechanism that helps brain cancer evade immune system attack discovered - Jan 16, 2010
- Brain tumour's 'grow-or-go' switch found - Mar 12, 2010
- Herbal remedy beats brain cancer - Jul 13, 2011
- Vaccine extends life of brain cancer patients - Apr 19, 2012
- Small molecule may deactivate enemy of cancer-fighting p53 - Dec 08, 2010
- Most common adult brain cancer associated with gene deletion - Dec 23, 2010
- Deadly brain tumour's strength may be a weakness as well - Aug 15, 2010
- Soon, new compounds to sensitize cancerous tumors to therapy - Aug 06, 2009
Tags: aggressive type, biomedical research, brain cancer, brain tumour, cancer cells, catalonia, clinical trials, diagnosis, glioblastoma multiforme, innovation, molecule, new discovery, p53, plos one, protein, radiation therapy, scientists, spain, survival, therapeutic agents