Cancer Cells Evade Death from Chemotherapy
- Cancer cells enter a state where it can evade death from chemotherapy and targeted agents.
- During this death evasion state, therapy failure and tumor relapse may occur.
- Researchers identify and characterize the cancer cell death evasion in response to chemotherapy.
- Researchers utilized cellular barcoding and mathematical modeling in patient-derived colorectal cancer models.
- Analysis revealed that therapy has no effect on tumors that entered death evasion state.
- Additionally, recurrence is followed after ending treatment.
- Data shows that all cancer cells have the ability to become immortal to chemotherapy.
- Researchers determined that the death evasion state is transcriptionally and functionally similar to diapause.
- Diapause occurs when the development of an embryo is suspended in response to unfavorable environmental conditions.
- The study provides more understanding into how cancer cells use a developmentally conserved mechanism to drive the death evasion state.
- The result demands a new therapeutic opportunities to target the death evasion mechanism.
Source:
Rehman, S. K., Haynes, J., Collignon, E., Brown, K. R., Wang, Y., Nixon, A., Bruce, J. P., Wintersinger, J. A., Singh Mer, A., Lo, E., Leung, C., Lima-Fernandes, E., Pedley, N. M., Soares, F., McGibbon, S., He, H. H., Pollet, A., Pugh, T. J., Haibe-Kains, B., Morris, Q., … O’Brien, C. A. (2021). Colorectal Cancer Cells Enter a Diapause-like DTP State to Survive Chemotherapy. Cell, 184(1), 226–242.e21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2020.11.018
Related Links
Research Summary: Galiellalactone Inhibits Stem Cell-Like ALDH-Positive Prostate Cancer Cells
ABSTRACT Galiellalactone is a potent and specific inhibitor of STAT3 signaling which has been shown to possess growth inhibitory effects on prostate cancer cells expressing active STAT3. In this study we aimed to investigate the effect of galiellalactone on prostate cancer stem cell-like cells. We explored the expression of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) as a marker … Continue reading
Research Summary: Ionizing Radiation Induces Stemness in Cancer Cells
ABSTRACT The cancer stem cell (CSC) model posits the presence of a small number of CSCs in the heterogeneous cancer cell population that are ultimately responsible for tumor initiation, as well as cancer recurrence and metastasis. CSCs have been isolated from a variety of human cancers and are able to generate a hierarchical and heterogeneous … Continue reading
ABSTRACT Background Chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea (CIA) is common in young breast cancer patients. The incidence of CIA associated with regimens involving epirubicin and taxane was not well known. Furthermore, previous studies suggested leucopenia and amenorrhea may reflect inter-individual variations in pharmacokinetics. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between leucopenia after first cycle … Continue reading
Research Summary: Chemotherapy Synergizes with Radioimmunotherapy Targeting La Autoantigen in Tumors
ABSTRACT Background To date, inefficient delivery of therapeutic doses of radionuclides to solid tumors limits the clinical utility of radioimmunotherapy. We aim to test the therapeutic utility of Yttrium-90 (90Y)-radio-conjugates of a monoclonal antibody, which we showed previously to bind specifically to the abundant intracellular La ribonucleoprotein revealed in dead tumor cells after DNA-damaging treatment. … Continue reading
