New Cancer Fighting Strategy Offers Hope to Millions
The fight against cancer is evolving with new strategies that offer hope to millions worldwide. One innovative approach is the development of the field of cancer neuroscience, which explores how tumors interact with the nervous system. Stanford Medicine researchers have discovered that certain brain cancers form electrical connections with nearby nerves, using these connections to support their growth. This understanding has opened up possibilities for using FDA-approved drugs, originally developed for neurological disorders like epilepsy, to disrupt these cancer-promoting neural signals.
Another promising direction is the enhancement of the body’s immune response against tumors. MIT researchers have found that combining checkpoint blockade inhibitors, a type of immunotherapy, with low doses of chemotherapy drugs can stimulate the immune system to attack cancer cells more effectively. This strategy, described as immunogenic cell injury, has shown success in eliminating tumors in mice, suggesting potential for treating cancers that currently do not respond well to immunotherapy.
Johns Hopkins researchers are exploring a different tactic by focusing on the physical properties of cancer cells themselves. They have identified a compound that makes cancer cells stiffer, thereby preventing them from invading new areas of the body. This approach targets the cells’ ability to change shape and move, which is crucial for the spread of cancer, offering a novel angle for therapy with potentially fewer side effects and reduced drug resistance.
These new cancer-fighting strategies, ranging from exploiting cancer’s use of the nervous system, innovating immunotherapy combinations, to altering the physical properties of cancer cells, represent significant advances in the ongoing battle against this complex set of diseases. Each approach offers unique advantages and challenges, but together, they contribute to a growing arsenal of tools that could transform cancer treatment and offer new hope to patients around the world.