Cell discovery may improve chemotherapy success

Researchers have identified a way to prevent acute myeloid luekemia (AML) cells from evading chemotherapy.

AML cells use a molecular braking process to survive chemotherapy. When the brake is removed, AML cells are susceptible to treatment and die.

The findings rely, however, on the relatively new technique of functional genomic screening of AML cells.

Researchers used the technology to turn off different genes in each population of AML cells all at once, before subjecting all cells to chemotherapy.

It is hoped that the discovery will yield better results during chemotherapy for countless AMI patients.

Obesity is also said to reduce the success rate of AML treatment, especially in children.

It is widely known that obesity is associated with increased mortality of many types of cancer, however its relationship to treatment had previously been unknown.

This has implications for the sort of treatment administered to AML patients who are overweight and thus may be less receptive to chemotherapy.

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