Thanks to the discovery of a new small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), it will be possible to better adapt the treatment to a specific patient - informs Genes & Development.
As you know, there are hundreds of cancers that originate from different tissues that have different malignancies, the ability to create metastases, gene activity or susceptibility to treatment.
It is especially frustrating for oncologists that a given drug can produce great results in one patient, and not help or even harm another, seemingly with the same disease. Hence the search for specific, biological features that allow more accurate classification of cancers.
Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is particularly dangerous, for which no specific treatment method has been developed. Often it gives early metastases. In spite of chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery, only 6 percent. patients survive 5 years from the time of diagnosis. SCLC accounts for about 10-15 percent. all lung cancers.
Analyzing the gene activity in SCLC tumors, the team of Dr. Christopher Vakoc from the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory managed to discover the atypical nature of this activity in about 20 percent. samples. A deficiency of neuroendocrine markers in pulmonary neuroendocrine cells has been found (this type of cells is considered a source of SCLC).
Using the CRISPR gene editing method, Vakoc and colleagues found that the transcription factor POU2F3 is expressed only in SCLC tumors with low levels of neuroendocrine markers. It turns out that this variant form of tumors comes from a separate class of cells - tuft cells.
The development of drugs specifically targeting POU2F3 may be particularly effective in a subgroup of cancer patients who are highly expressed in this transcription factor. Soon you can expect the first tests on mice.
The authors of the study want to look for new varieties of pancreatic cancer in a similar way, hoping that they will find specific goals for drugs. (PAP)
