Head and neck cancer – new research eases back the development of tumors.
A group lead by UCLA School of Dentistry is getting closer to finding a more efficient treatment that could treat head and neck cancer. According to the study by aiming a weakness in the cellular progression of cancer replication, they could alter its reaction to immunotherapy.
The forecast for head and neck cancer is bad, with a high five-year mortality rate.
They concentrated on the enzyme called KDM4A. The duplication and propagation of cancer cells is associated with an over-expression of the enzyme.
Fight infection
By eliminating the enzyme in a few mice, the scientists observed a considerable decline in the spreading of cancer to the lymph nodes. Which in turn could be a sign of metastasis of cancer in the body. The removal of the enzyme also led to stimulation of immunity in the form of T cells and aided to increase natural cancer resistance.
Additionally, they then launched a PD-1 blockade, which heralds immunotherapy drugs to raid cancer cells. The combination of immunotherapy and KDM4A elimination further slowed down cell cancer growth and lymph node metastasis.
‘Major inferences’
Dr. Cun-Yu Wang – who led the group – said: ‘We know that the KDM4A gene plays a critical role in cancer cell replication and spread.
‘So we focused our study on removing this gene to see if we would get an opposite response.’
Dr. Paul Krebsbach – dean and professor at the UCLA School of Dentistry – considers the discoveries have ‘key consequences’ for the potential of life-saving treatments.
‘I am continuously impressed by Dr. Cun-Yu Wang and his team for breaking through barriers in our understanding of cancer-causing cellular processes,’ said Dr. Paul Krebsbach.
The consequences of this investigation have significant ramifications for the improvement of more viable, life-saving cancer treatments.
Dr. Pascal Terjanian
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Sources
https://www.cancer.gov/types/head-and-neck/head-neck-fact-sheet
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20210324/Study-may-lead-to-more-refined-approaches-for-head-and-neck-cancers.aspx
