Scientists have uncovered new therapies that could inhibit the growth of bowel and liver cancers. Researchers at the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute in Glasgow examined genes known to cause cancer, focusing specifically on bowel and liver cancers, to understand why these genes only trigger cancers in certain tissues.

In a significant breakthrough, scientists have identified potential new therapies that could slow or even halt the progression of bowel and liver cancers. The research, conducted at the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute in Glasgow, delved into genetic factors linked to these cancers, aiming to uncover why they develop in specific tissues.

This effort is part of the Cancer Grand Challenges initiative, a collaboration between Cancer Research UK and the National Cancer Institute. The researchers targeted genetic abnormalities that allow cancer to exploit a body’s signaling system responsible for regulating cell growth, known as the WNT pathway.

Cancer uses this pathway to foster the growth of tumors in the intestine and liver. Findings recently published in Nature Genetics highlighted the role of a protein called nucleophosmin (NPM1). This protein, which is crucial for growth control, was found in elevated levels in bowel cancer and some liver cancers due to genetic malfunctions within the WNT pathway.

The research team hypothesizes that by targeting and inhibiting NPM1, it may be possible to develop new treatments for cancers that manipulate this growth system through genetic errors. This approach holds promise for tackling certain aggressive forms of bowel and liver cancers.

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“Increasing numbers of people are affected by these cancers, with some treatments unfortunately limited for some patients, so finding a new way to tackle these cancers is crucial.”

Forming part of the SpecifiCancer initiative, which examines why certain cancer-causing genes only trigger cancers in particular tissues, the study has uncovered a method to target specific genetic faults responsible for difficult-to-treat cancers in those organs.

Scotland records amongst the highest incidences of bowel and liver cancer across the UK. Approximately 4,200 individuals in the UK receive a bowel cancer diagnosis annually, and it continues to be the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Scotland, taking roughly 1,700 lives each year.

Recent research by the American Cancer Society, featured in The Lancet Oncology, revealed that early-onset bowel cancer rates amongst adults aged 25-49 are increasing in 27 out of 50 nations examined, with rates climbing more rapidly in young Scottish and English women compared to their male counterparts. Around 670 individuals succumb to liver cancer annually in Scotland.

Proteins are vital for constructing bodily structures including skin, hair and various tissues, yet occasionally the body’s communication network malfunctions, resulting in tumour development. Such disruption can stem from mutations within the body’s messaging framework, which relay incorrect instructions from DNA, prompting cells to multiply uncontrollably.

SpecifiCancer, a joint venture between Cancer Research UK and the Mark Foundation for Cancer Research established in 2019, aims to comprehend why certain genes cause cancer only in specific tissues. The goal is to identify patterns that could lead to more personalised treatments tailored to individual patients or specific body parts.

The latest research primarily focused on bowel and liver cancers, but the team is optimistic that its findings could be relevant to other types of cancer as well. The next step for researchers is to explore medical treatments that can inhibit the production of the NPM1 protein.

Current treatments have the ability to decelerate tumour growth. Therefore, if a new drug targeting NPM1 can be discovered, it could offer a safe and effective method to treat certain cancers.

Dr David Scott, director of Cancer Grand Challenges, said: “Scientific breakthroughs like this demonstrate the power of Cancer Grand Challenges to bring together the world’s best minds to transform our understanding of how cancer starts and, crucially, how we treat it.”

He added: “By scrutinising the fundamental processes that drive cancer, we can tackle the disease at its beginnings, driving progress towards real-world impact for people affected by cancer.”