Scientists Stanford Turning off Cancer Gene
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Scientists at
Stanford Find that Turning off Cancer Gene Temporarily can Stop Cancer Growth
Permanently In work on mice with bone cancer, Stanford University Medical Center researchers have obtained results with potentially broad implications for treating some human cancers. The scientists, led by Dean Felsher, MD, PhD, turned off a gene called MYC, which normally tells a cell when to grow or divide. When the gene was switched off, MYC production stopped and the cancer cells reverted to normal bone cells. The scientists stopped treatment after ten days, but instead of restarting cancerous growth, the cells died. Because MYC is a factor in many cancer types (such as lymphoma, breast, colon, and prostate), effecting permanent change through temporarily stopping this single gene offers profound therapeutic possibilities. As with any research involving complex matters, further study is needed. The gene can contribute to cancer by many different mechanisms, and Dr. Felsher said, "We are trying to understand the genetics of when shutting off MYC will work." (Source: Stanford
University Medical Center, 7/4/2002; |
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