New research reveals cancer stem cells
A new study has revealed the existence of cancer stem cells which are the root cause of childhood leukaemia, making improved treatments possible.
Leukaemia Research and the Medical Research Council have funded the research on identical twins which has shown that both possess the same "genetically abnormal" cells, even though only one is actually being treated for leukaemia.
The research, published in the Journal Science, found that such cells can lay dormant in the bone marrow, supporting evidence that childhood cancer begins in the womb.
Professor Tariq Enver, who led the research, feels that the discovery will lead to less aggressive treatments of the disease and consequently reduce side-effects.
Professor Mel Greaves, of the Institute of Cancer Research, stated that as well as lying dormant these cells can resist conventional chemotherapy and be the cause of relapse.
He concluded that "these are the cells that dictate disease course and provide the bull’s eye to target with new therapies".
Elsewhere, the Institute of Cancer Research recently reported that cancer charities Breakthrough Breast Cancer and Cancer Research UK had "joined forces" to launch a clinical trial for women with aggressive breast cancer.
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