Scientists say they may have solved one of the most persistent puzzles in cancer research – opening the way for wide-ranging new treatments.
The German scientists say they have found a way of fixing a faulty protein found in as many as one third of cancer cases.
Although the Ras protein has been known about for years, so far scientists have been unable to develop drugs that target it.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, yesterday unveiled their proposed solution at the conference of the National Cancer Research Institute conference in Liverpool, UK.
They say they can block a second protein responsible for moving Ras to the surface of a cell – which should prevent it from triggering cancer.
Researcher Dr Herbert Waldmann said: “We’ve been scratching our heads for decades to find a solution to one of the oldest conundrums in cancer research. And we’re excited to discover that it’s actually possible to completely bypass this cancer-causing protein rather than attack it directly.
“We’re making new improvements on compounds for potential drugs, although the challenge still lies in developing a treatment that exploits this discovery without ruining the workings of healthy cells.”
Professor Matt Seymour, research director of the NCRI, said it was an "exciting approach."
He said: "The research is still at a very early stage and it will be years before it can benefit patients but it is a key step forward in the field.”
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