Researchers from the University of East Anglia- UEA have come up with a new non-invasive treatment for bone cancer that happens to be effective against all primary forms of the disease. Notably, the current bone cancer treatment remains invasive and painful and often involves limb amputation as well as chemotherapy that is outdated. Even after procedures, the five-year survival rate for bone cancer just happens to be 42%. This is mainly due to the fact that bone cancer spreads quickly to the lungs.
Bone cancer, which tends to affect predominantly children, begins in the bones, unlike other types of cancer that might spread through the bones. As per UEA research, CADD522, the new drug, can go on to block the gene associated with the spread of bone cancer. This was evident when a mouse was implanted with human bone cancer. In most of the cases, the bone cancer causes largely remain unknown. That said, previous exposure to radiation when it comes to radiotherapy increases the disease level. It is well to be noted that the Li-Fraumeni syndrome, as well as Paget’s disease of the bones, can go on to cause the disease. However, both conditions happen to be rare.
Apparently, the study, which is titled YBX1- interacting small RNAs as well as RUNX2 can be blocked in primary bone cancer by way of using CADD522, the researchers happen to be of the opinion that CADD522 can go on to elevate the survival rates by 50% and also eradicate any sort of surgery as well as chemotherapy that is required. The best part is that the drug has no side effects that are usually associated with chemotherapy, like tiredness, hair loss, or sickness.
As per Dr. Darren Green, the lead researcher from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, primary bone cancer begins in the bones and is the third largest form of childhood cancer, right after brain and kidney. There are around 52000 new cases reported annually across the world. He added that the fact that it spreads rapidly to other body parts is the most challenging aspect of this kind of cancer. Once this cancer spreads, it becomes very cumbersome to treat it with the intent of curing it.
What’s next on the cards is that CADD522 will go through a formal toxicology assessment. The research done after this will stack all the data and approach the MHRA formally for clinical trials so as to begin their treatment of bone cancer.
