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- Some forms of prostate cancer are more challenging to treat and may not respond to conventional treatments.
- Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer is a type of advanced prostate cancer that no longer responds to usual treatments and has spread to other parts of the body.
- Researchers at the Institute of Cancer Research, London, have discovered that this resistance can be reversed in some people by preventing white blood cells from being “hijacked” and drawn into the tumor.
prostate cancer Affects millions of men every year. it is second most common cancer It is the fourth most common cancer in men in the world. It is estimated that 1.41 million new cases of prostate cancer were reported worldwide in 2020 alone.
Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer This is a type of advanced prostate cancer that no longer responds to normal treatments and has spread to other parts of the body.
estimated Good night The diagnosis of castration-resistant prostate cancer occurs between nine months and 3 years in a man.
Now, researchers at the Institute of Cancer Research, London, have discovered that treatment resistance to metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer can be reversed in some people by preventing white blood cells from being “hijacked” and drawn into the tumor.
The study was recently published in the journal Nature,
For this study, Pro. johan de bonoand his team targeted myeloid white blood cells, which normally help protect the body from infection. However, these types of blood cells are also commonly drawn to the tumor, helping it grow and resist treatment.
“Myeloid cells are part of the immune system. Under normal circumstances, they are rapidly recruited to sites of inflammation in the body, where they help to defend against any invading pathogens,” said Professor De Bono, Professor of Experimental Cancer Medicine at The Institute of Cancer Research, London. , consultant medical oncologist at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and one of the authors of the study, said. medical news today,
“In cancer, it is a different story. Myeloid cells are also drawn into the tumor. When tumor cells are stressed, they can enter a non-proliferating state called ‘senescence’ and become ‘cytokine factories’, producing proteins that attract myeloid cells to the tumor where they Support the development, division and survival of. They may also send further signals to the bone marrow to recruit more ‘conspirator’ myeloid cells to enter the tumor and the cycle continues,” he explained.
During the study, scientists used a combination of experimental drugs called AZD5069 And the hormone therapy commonly used to treat prostate cancer is called enzalutamide To prevent myeloid cells from being drawn into the tumor.
“This drug works by stopping myeloid cells from being attracted to the tumor. If these cells cannot enter the tumor, they cannot perform their normal tumor-promoting activities,” said Professor De Bono.
Of the 21 study participants with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, researchers reported that five of them responded to treatment by either shrinking the size of their tumors by more than 30%, which led to a reduction in circulating levels. prostate specific antigen (PSA), or a decline in circulating tumor cell blood levels.
The scientists said participants who received the treatment also experienced a decline in myeloid cells, and biopsies after treatment also revealed fewer myeloid cells within their tumors.
“It was extremely exciting to see the five study participants respond to the treatment. This is the first time that targeting myeloid cells instead of cancer cells can benefit patients. It may take years to develop new drugs, but we plan to work on this further in clinical trials, develop better drugs, and hopefully move it forward as a treatment strategy.
– Pro. johan de bono
And could this process of targeting myeloid white blood cells be used to treat other types of cancer?
“We know that myeloid cells have a role in promoting other types of cancer, so we think the impact of this research could be widespread across many types of cancer,” Professor de Bono said.
Prostate cancer is a type of cancer that occurs Prostate, The prostate is an organ that is part of the male reproductive system.
there are screening tests Available for prostate cancer. as soon as possible stage of prostate cancer, there may be no symptoms. If symptoms occur, they typically include:
- Difficulty urinating or pain while urinating
- frequent urination
- blood in urine or semen
- pain in the pelvis, hips or back
Since prostate cancer requires testosterone to grow, treatments suppress this male sex hormone.
castration-resistant prostate cancer Occurs when the tumor continues to grow even though testosterone production slows.
Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer occurs when cancer spreads to other areas of the body, such as lymph nodes, bones, or other organs.
There is currently no cure for castration-resistant prostate cancer. Treatment For metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer this may include radiation therapyhormone therapy, ChemotherapyAnd immunotherapy,
Researchers have been working on this discovery for the last few years. new therapies For castration-resistant prostate cancer.
Professor de Bono said: “Cancer has a unique ability to evolve and become resistant to treatment, which means that the drugs we use to keep cancer under control will eventually stop working. ”
“Therapies that open new lines of attack against prostate cancer will be important in overcoming treatment resistance and extending men’s lives.”
– Pro. johan de bono
After reviewing this study, Dr. Meena M. FamilyMedical Director of Urological Oncology at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center and Robotic Surgery at Ocean University Medical Center medical news today This is an extremely exciting study using an innovative approach to the management of a very challenging disease such as metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.
“This research could be a ‘game-changer’ not only for the treatment of prostate cancer but for many cancers, especially aggressive and advanced cancers,” he said.
Dr. Pham explained that while there are many effective treatments for localized prostate cancer that can keep the cancer under control, patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer fail conventional treatments. androgen deficiency,
He added, “Although many advances have been made in recent years in the treatment of metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer, these treatments can also fail over time.”
,[Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer] Patients may develop bone spurs, urinary blockage, and other painful complications that ultimately lead to death from their prostate cancer. For this reason, it is extremely important to develop novel treatments for metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer to provide improved survival and a better quality of life for these patients.
– Dr. Meena Family
mnt also talked to Dr Well HarbA board-certified hematologist and medical oncologist at Memorial Care Cancer Institute in Orange Coast, California, and Saddleback Medical Center in Fountain Valley wrote about this research.
He commented that this is a very interesting and potentially promising approach.
“Traditionally, we have always focused on tumor cells themselves, but recently our understanding of what we call tumor microenvironment,” Dr. Harb explained. “This means that the cells and the environment around cancer cells can be a big factor in cancer progression. Therefore targeting the tumor microenvironment rather than cancer cells is an innovative strategy that warrants further exploration.
Although this research is very promising, Dr. Harb points out that this is an early clinical trial, and larger randomized trials are needed where scientists compare this approach to other treatment options such as chemotherapy to see if What are the results?
“Can we keep cancer under control for longer? Can we keep the patient alive longer? So if we are able to show, based on randomized trials, that this approach is better in terms of giving patients more time and especially if it is quality time, then it will become the new standard of care,” he said.
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