Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Eliminated in Mice Thanks to a Combination between Medication and Radiation
The scientists from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center managed to counteract the NSCL (non-small cell lung cancer) in the mouse organism by utilizing a clinical trial medication entitled BEZ235 and combining it with irradiation in low-dosage.
The investigation was released in the Cancer Research journal in its October edition. The investigators from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center discovered that if they gave the mice the BEZ235 medication prior to undergoing harmless radiation in order to counteract the cancerous cell development of DNA, the BEZ235 would counteract the activity of the PI3K protein which typically acts as a guardian of the tumor cells. This protein maintains the cancerous cells in life in the moment they are attacked and try to heal their broken DNA.
Besides the leading author, the team of investigators from the University of Texas comprised: doctor Erik Bey from the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, doctor Andrea Rabellino, doctor Katja Schuster, doctor Adi Gazdar, professor within the University of Texas Southwestern, Jake Hamon from the Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, doctor David Boothman from the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer, researchers coming from the University of Camerino in Italy and Novartis Pharma in Switzerland. Their investigation was financed by funds coming from National Institutes of Health, American Cancer Society, Concern Foundation, Gibson Foundation, Leukemia of Texas, United States Department of Energy and the American Italian Cancer Foundation.
The scientists observed this treatment opportunity in mice that underwent a transplant process with non-small cell lung cancer tumors from human beings.
During their observation process, the researchers discovered that the malignant tumors developing in the mice which were treated with just the BEZ235 has a decrease in size compared to those affecting mice which were not undergoing any type of treatments. Even though the malignant tumors did not grow in size, their life was not ended by administering the specific medication.
On the other hand, mice undergoing the BEZ235 treatment combined with low-dose radiation recorded many cases of total elimination of the malignant tumors.
The leading investigator was doctor Pier Paolo Scaglioni who is assistant professor of the internal medicine department within the University of Texas Southwestern. He stated that the findings of his research team regarding the combination of medication and low-dose radiation may prove to become an efficient treatment for counteracting non-small cell lung cancer in human beings.
The non-small cell lung cancer represents one of the main causes of cancer connected mortality on the whole Globe. The malignant cells usually favor transformations in the K-RAS which is a gene. People suffering from mutations of the K-RAS usually present an increased resistance to therapies comprising irradiation. This is the cause for which their life perspectives are unfavorable.
The K-RAS transformations trigger the networks or different pathways of various proteins that act as signals to activate. This signaling represents a key element in the development and growth of a malignant tumor. The PI3K represents just one of these proteins. At the moment of activation, it acts as a guardian which aids the cells in maintaining living functions even after their DNA was damaged and they try to heal it.
Some of the elements forming the signal networks comprising also the PI3K protein have been explored as various medication targets for counteracting malignant tumors. The clinical tested medication BEZ235 has been recently in experiments comprising clinical tests for counteracting the activity of the PI3K and the mTOR which represents a signaling protein, also.
As the leading investigator states there is no efficient treatment counteracting the non-small cell lung cancer which hosts transformations of the K-RAS.
Medical doctor Pier Paolo Scaglioni conducted the first tests in order to identify the efficacy of the BEZ235 drug and thus, they tested it alone. The team of investigators discovered that the BEZ235 stops the evolution and growth of the lung cancer malignant cells that were developed in the laboratory and the malignant lung cells that affect the mice.
As the leading author of this first research, doctor Georgia Konstantinidou states the findings of the investigators were shocking. However, they strived to discover a way for a faster malignant cell deterioration. They found put that by combining the tested medication with low-dose radiation, the success of their mission was assured. Doctor Georgia Konstantinidou is a post-doctoral scientist within the University of Texas Southwestern.
Doctor Pier Paolo Scaglioni`s research group observed that the malignant cells which were treated with the BEZ235 medication and low-dosed irradiation. The latter triggered slight breaks in the cellular genetic material but did not managed to affect them in a more effective way in order to destroy them. At the moment the DNA of the cell is broken, the malignant cells are aided by the PI3K signaling network in order to assure the cancer cell`s survival while it is healing its genetic material.
The team of investigators explained that the malignant cells needed the PI3K signaling pathway to assure they remain alive and without the protein`s response they were prone to die. This is why in the moment the scientists administered the BEZ235 medication it stopped the action of the PI3K protein and this means that the non-small cell lung cancer cells were starting to die.
As the leading author of the research explains the future stage of the study is that of administering the BEZ235 medication or similar drugs in clinical tests against the non-small cell lung suffering human beings. This could also be applied in clinical trials comprising people suffering from other types of malignant cells such as pancreatic, colon and thyroid cancers. There are the same with the non-small cell lung due to the fact that the PI3K signaling network also acts as an important agent in the malignant cells` evolution.
