Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

New research has been conducted by researchers at the BC Cancer Research Institute and the University of British Columbia (UBC) to find a new potential treatment for SCCOHT cancer. SCCOHT or Small cell carcinoma of the ovary, hypercalcemic type is a rare and aggressive form of ovarian cancer that particularly attacks young women.

This form of cancer is usually diagnosable when women are in their 20s. Presently this cancer has no effective treatment available. But according to the new study finding, a metabolic vulnerability is present in cells that is likely to serve as the therapeutic target in cancer treatment.

Though, Clinical trials will be required to prove this claim.

Study author Jennifer Ji said, “Finding this vulnerability and identifying a way to exploit it could have a huge impact for anyone diagnosed with this rare disease”.

The researchers have used donated tissue samples of a dead 34-year-old woman who had SCCOHT, as a new cell model to test the effects of new treatments and to understand the biology of the disease in a better way.

According to the researchers, SCCOHT cancer cells consist of very low levels of an enzyme that is responsible for the production of arginine (an amino acid which helps in building cell proteins). Cancer tumours without this enzyme are unable to produce this amino acid and rely on the arginine-rich environment to sustain. 

According to the researchers, cancer cells could be destroyed without substantially affecting normal cells by using a small molecule agent to kill arginine in the tumour environment.

According to research team lead Dr David Huntsman, “This agent basically absorbs all of the arginine within the tumour environment so cells can’t produce it themselves, thus starving the tumour”.

David added, “As such vulnerability has been also discovered in several other cancer types, we are now looking to partner with other research organizations who are evaluating these treatment options in patients whose cancer lacks the expression of this particular enzyme.”

The research findings will be beneficial in providing better treatment results for women suffering from this rare and deadly cancer. 

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