Chemotherapy kills cancer cells. But the way these cells die appears to be different than previously understood. Researchers from the Netherlands Cancer Institute, led by Thijn Brummelkamp, have uncovered a completely new way in which cancer cells die due to the Schlafen11 gene. "This is a very unexpected finding. Cancer patients have been treated with chemotherapy for almost a century, but this route to cell death has never been observed before. Where and when this occurs in patients will need to be further investigated. This discovery could ultimately have implications for the treatment of cancer patients." They publish their findings in Science.

Many cancer treatments damage cell DNA. After too much irreparable damage, cells can initiate their own death. High school biology teaches us that the protein p53 takes charge of this process. p53 ensures repair of damaged DNA, but initiates cell suicide when the damage becomes too severe. This prevents uncontrolled cell division and cancer formation.

Know more: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240516160509.htm

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