Discovery of 'blocking factor' affecting 70% of cancers

For decades, scientists have tried to stop cancer by disabling the mutant proteins in tumors. But many cancers still get around this and continue to grow, according to News-Medical.

But now, a research team from the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF - USA) has found a new solution, involving a protein called MYC.

Cancer cells - Illustration: SCITECH DAILY

MYC protein is a major growth protein, highly increased in 70% of cancers.

Now, UCSF scientists think they can disrupt this protein-making process by targeting another protein called RBM42.

By poring over genomic data from patients with pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest cancers, the authors found that RBM42 was abundant in cells with more MYC. And the more RBM42 and MYC a patient had, the worse their condition.

In other words, RBM42 causes cells to produce MYC, so attacking it creates a key checkpoint that helps suppress tumor growth.

Scientists tested by disrupting RBM42 in pancreatic cancer cells, they were able to effectively stop the disease, according to the paper published in the scientific journal Nature Cell Biology.

"MYC is what we see when a cancer is resistant to everything we try to do to defeat it. Now that we can see the machinery that controls MYC levels, there may finally be a way to block it," said senior author Davide Ruggero, PhD.

Researchers believe that attacking the MYC 'factory' will have similar effects in many other types of cancer.

This discovery therefore provides a new direction for developing breakthrough drugs targeting treatment-resistant cancers associated with this dangerous protein.

Kareem Winters

Update 18 February 2025