Canadian researchers have identified genes in brain cancer stem cells that fuel the growth and survival of glioblastoma in hopes their data will be mined to develop treatments targeting an aggressive tumour that claimed the life of Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie.
The major challenge is that even after 99 per cent of a tumour is removed, a few remaining cells multiply like tentacles and regrow in another part of the brain where further surgery is no longer an option.
"Having that happen a few years ago certainly has continued to reinforce my commitment to do the best that we can, to continue to try and push the needle forward," said the neurosurgeon and senior scientist in brain tumour research at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children. Dr. Stephane Angers, co-principal investigator of that part of the study at the University of Toronto, said the protein Cas9 is akin to a homing device that targeted certain genes important for the progression of the tumour cells.
"There are about 400 genes that we found that are important for the growth and the life of these glioblastoma tumour cells and of these we need to hone in on a subset that are candidates for a new drug, and I would say 20 to 30 of them for sure," Angers said. Dr. Samuel Weiss, at the Calgary medical school, was part of the collaboration that demonstrated the same gene is also involved in the growth of some leukemias, for which a particular drug is currently being used as a treatment.
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