A new technique for the first time it allowed the ‘Visible’ colon-recto cancer from the immune system and therefore vulnerable to his attack through theimmunotherapy. It is an important result, since this treatment, effective in other forms of cancer such as melanoma and kidney tumor, for the colorectal works in less than 5% of cases.
The result, published in the magazine Cancer Cell, is due to the international study led by Italy with the Institute of Foundation of Molecular Oncology AIRC in Milan and the Universities of Turin and Milan, which was also attended by San Raffaele Hospital of Milan, Oncological Institute of Candiolo (Turin) and the Milanese company Cogentech. The technique was also Tested in the United States on 18 patientswith encouraging results.
“For about 10 years in our workshops we have been studying a category of tumors that have a defective DNA repair system“says Alberto Bardelli, scientific director of Ifom and professor at the University of Turin, who coordinated the researchers together with Giovanni Germano, of Ifom and professor at the University of Milan.” These tumors are particular – continues Germano – because because of this flaw accumulate hundreds of mutations That recall the attention of the immune system“.
The goal was, therefore, to make the colorectal cancer, considered ‘cold’, more similar to this type called ‘hot’, that immune cells can attack more effectively. The turning point came by studying the Mix of two drugs: the Temozolomidewhich damages the DNA of cancer cells, and the cisplatinowhich instead forms ties with DNA.
To escape the destructive action of this couple, the cancer cells reduce their ability to repair DNA damagebut this defense mechanism turns into a weak point: “the cells accumulate a very high number of mutations – concludes Germano – and so they make themselves recognizable and attackable from the immune system“.
Reserved reproduction © Copyright Ansa
Source: Ansa
I am a journalist with over 6 years of experience working in the news industry. I currently work as an author for Global Happenings, and my coverage focuses on Technology news. I have written for various publications, including Reuters, The New York Times and The Guardian.
