CANCER

Bloodwise 13
STRATEGIC REPORT
FUELLING FASTER GROWTH
Many cancer cells grow quickly, and need a
rapid energy supply to fuel the production
of new cells. To do this, the cancer quickly
churns out energy-carrying molecules by
hijacking mechanisms normally reserved for times
when oxygen is low or lots of cells are urgently needed
to fight infection. This has been known for a long time,
but has gained renewed interest as scientists have
realised that blocking it is a possible way of starving
the cancer of its fuel.
At University College London Dr Stephen Daw is
leading the UK arm of a large international clinical
trial for children, adolescents and young adults with
newly diagnosed Hodgkin lymphoma. Cure for these
patients often comes after gruelling treatment and
at the expense of long-term health problems because
of the side effects of the treatment, particularly
radiotherapy. By using PET scans that detect abnormal
metabolic activity in cancer cells, the trial aims to
reduce the use of radiotherapy in lower risk patients
who respond well to initial chemotherapy, and to
reduce the intensity of radiotherapy in patients who
still need it.
FOOT ON THE GAS
Normal cells can’t multiply without
the right level of ‘go ahead’ message
from growth signals within the tissue.
But cancer cells don’t rely on external
stimulation: they’re self-sustaining.
They keep themselves alive by making growth signals
themselves, by becoming super sensitive to signals
around them or turning the light switch to ‘always on’.
Many targeted therapies, such as imatinib, work by
dampening these ‘go’ signals.
Professors Conny Bonifer and Peter Cockerill have
a £1.5 million programme at the University of
Birmingham which is focusing on regulator proteins
that have gone awry in one of the biggest blood
cancer killers, acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). As a
consequence the activities of hundreds of genes under
their control are inappropriately altered.
The team want to understand how these changes affect
the growth signalling pathways in different types
of AML and whether drugs can be used to target or
reverse the changes.
Bloodwise trading as Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research Company limited by guarantee 738089
Registered charity 216032 (England & Wales) SC037529 (Scotland)