Targeting a blood vessel molecule could make cancer treatments much more effective.
The study, published in a recent edition of the journal Nature, showed a molecule called focal adhesion kinase (FAK) signals the body to repair itself after chemotherapy or radiotherapy, Cancer Research U.K. reported. The Barts Cancer Institute researchers found that when the molecule was removed in melanoma and lung cancer patients treatments were significantly more effective.
The team also took samples from lymphoma patients and found those with low levels of FAK in their blood vessels were more likely to go into remission than those with higher levels. This finding suggests developing drugs that eliminate or reduce concentrations of FAK.
"This work shows that sensitivity to cancer treatment is related to our own body mistakenly trying to shield the cancer from cell-killing effects caused by radiotherapy and chemotherapy," said Doctor Bernardo Tavora, lead author on the paper from the Barts Cancer Institute. "Although taking out FAK from blood vessels won't destroy the cancer by itself, it can remove the barrier cancer uses to protect itself from treatment."
Cell lining in blood vessels have the ability to send chemical signals, called cytokines, to tumors; this helps it to resist DNA damage imposed by cancer therapies and recover. This process is not possible without the presence of the FAK molecule. Without FAK these signals are never sent, leaving the tumor significantly more vulnerable to DNA damage.
"This exciting research may have cracked how healthy cells in the blood vessels are protecting against cancer treatments. This research was only done in mice, but it gives real hope that we can boost the effectiveness of cancer medicine and [sensitize] cancers to the drugs we have," said Doctor Kat Arney, Cancer Research UK's science communications manager.
