Portal de Murcia
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A group of researchers led by Professor of the University of Murcia José Neptuno Rodríguez, in collaboration with Colin Goding, a researcher at Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research at the University of Oxford, have described a new melanoma therapy that has proven highly effective in preclinical studies, regardless of genetic variability in tumor cells.
At present, as Professor Rodriguez, there is no effective long term treatment for metastatic melanoma, as this type of cancer is resistant to most existing drugs active against other tumor types.
"The failure of other therapeutic approaches against cancer, says the researcher reflects an underlying problem, known for some time, but only now is beginning to understand at the molecular level, as is the heterogeneity of cancer cells."
"Knowing the origins of this heterogeneity and how you can control it-continues, could provide more effective treatments against this disease."
The group at the University of Murcia, also involving scientists from Hospital Virgen de la Arrixaca of Murcia city, has conducted studies to understand the mechanisms and factors governing cellular heterogeneity of melanoma, a very aggressive skin cancer .
The results have allowed the design of a combined therapy, first using methotrexate, a drug already in widespread clinical use, to remove the invasive phenotype of melanoma cells.
Then employed TMECG, a new prodrug synthesized and patented by the University of Murcia specifically guiding melanoma cells to cell death.
Therapy is published in the prestigious American journal Cancer Cell.
Asked about the future and prospects of research, José Neptuno Rodríguez indicated that currently working on the design of an international clinical trial to validate the effectiveness and usefulness of the therapy in humans.
Source: Universidad de Murcia
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