Leukemia cells are genetically very diverse, according to scientists from the UK in the journal Nature. Their discovery should help in the development of an effective anti-cancer therapy.
Mel Greaves and a team from the Institute of Cancer Research in Sutton studied single cells obtained from patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Genetic heterogeneity of cells within one sample, development of individual cell subclones and changes related to disease recurrence were assessed.
It turned out that cell subclones are genetically very diverse and have a complex development history – genetic changes among cells of a given subclone are very dynamic, often accompanying disease relapses.
The authors of the study emphasize that their research explains why advanced stage cancer is so difficult to cure – when each cell that gives rise to subsequent clones of cancer cells is genetically different, there is no single therapeutic goal. (PAP)