Thanks to the use of a special mixture of two proteins, it is possible to direct cancerous colon cells to the path of apoptosis, according to scientists from the US in the journal Nature. The method described by them has a chance to become an effective method of cancer treatment.
Xiangwei Wu and colleagues at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston have developed a new type of therapy that targets the signal pathway involved in the early stages of cancer. The use of a protein blend called TRAIL o RAc causes intestinal polyp cells to commit suicide, as confirmed in a mouse disease model and human tissue biopsies.
Most importantly, this type of protein cocktail does not work on normal healthy cells, so the method shows promise in preventing colon cancer in humans. Moreover, as emphasized by the authors of the studies, this type of therapy would be much cheaper and safer than standard chemotherapy. (PAP)