Childhood cancer discovery may stop tumour spread, UBC researchers say
There’s promising new research out of the University of British Columbia that could prevent cancer cells from spreading beyond their primary tumour site.
Researchers at UBC and BC Cancer say a new discovery in the aggressive and often fatal childhood cancer known as Ewing sarcoma has the potential to prevent metastatic spread in a number of cancer types.
The research provides insight into what triggers the process that allows cancer cells to survive as they travel through the body.
One of the study’s lead authors Dr. Paul Sorensen is a scientist at BC Cancer and a professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at UBC.
"You might think that a tumour cell could readily survive in the bloodstream but it’s actually a very harsh environment," said Sorensen, in a news release.
"What we found was that Ewing sarcoma cells are able to develop an antioxidant response that shields them and allows them to survive as they circulate."
Sorensen compares the process to a person in the Arctic having to put on a thick coat before they go outside because if they don’t shield themselves from the elements, they may not survive.
The study, published in the Cancer Discovery journal, shows that Ewing sarcoma cells are able to develop a shield which protects them from the harsh environment found in the bloodstream.
By offering that layer of protection it is harder for the cells to spread, according to researchers.
"What’s exciting about this study is if we can target the cells in circulation then maybe we can prevent metastasis from occurring. So that’s the really big goal of this research," said Sorensen.
UBC postdoctoral fellow at BC Cancer Dr. Haifeng Zhang says the new research will allow them to develop treatments that target the cancerous cells without producing toxic side effects in non-cancerous cells.
"This study is the first to show that the surface protein, IL1RAP, is rarely expressed in normal tissue, but is upregulated in childhood sarcomas," said Zhang.
Researchers are also working on developing antibodies that can target IL1RAP.
"These powerful antibodies can bind to the outside of the cell and we show in our research that these reagents can actually kill Ewing sarcoma cells. So not only have we discovered an interesting pathway, but we are well on our way to developing a clinical-grade immunotherapeutic treatment for Ewing sarcoma," said Sorensen.
There are plans to begin clinical trials within the next year or two.
Further research is underway to determine whether the same shielding behaviour can be found in other cancer cell types, including acute myeloid leukemia, melanoma and in some types of lung and breast cancers.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6941344.1719400735!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
She's still busy at 105. What secrets and science are behind Canada's 'super agers'?
There is ongoing research to better understand the relationship between social connection and healthy aging, and why the brains of super agers look different compared with their peers.
'7 years of regret': Raunchy leg piece wins bad tattoo competition at Edmonton Expo Centre
Friday night was a celebration of mistakes for a small group of body art enthusiasts.
Nude beach etiquette: Lose your clothes, not your manners
Most of us have felt the freedom and delight that comes with stripping down to a swimsuit on a sunny day and wading into a cool sea, the horizon twinkling in the distance.
Who are the richest people in Canada? Here's how many billionaires there are
If you gathered all the wealth that billionaires currently have worldwide, you would have about US$14.2 trillion, according to Forbes Magazine. But what about in Canada alone?
The new airline rivalries: Air Canada vs. Porter, WestJet vs. Flair
In a country traditionally dominated by two national airlines, a new set of aviation rivalries has emerged. Porter is increasingly moving in on Air Canada's home turf of Central Canada as well as cross-country routes, while WestJet seeks to counter the threat of Flair Airlines in a shift from the decades-old industry dynamic of sparring between the two biggest carriers.
A study identified 6 types of depression. Here’s why that matters
Scientists may be a step closer to that reality, thanks to new research that has identified six subtypes — or 'biotypes' — of major depression via brain imaging combined with machine learning.
How will Louisiana's new Ten Commandments classroom requirement be funded and enforced?
Even as a legal challenge is already underway over a new Louisiana law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in classrooms, the details of how the mandate will be implemented and enforced remain murky.
An unknown Newfoundland soldier killed in the First World War is being laid to rest
The remains of a soldier from Newfoundland killed in the battlefields of France during the First World War will be laid to rest in St. John's Monday, bringing an emotional end to a years-long effort in a place still shaken and forever changed by the bloodshed.
Man in his 70s struck and killed by a vehicle on Montreal's South Shore
A pedestrian in his 70s was struck and killed at an intersection in Brossard, on Montreal's South Shore.