Breakthrough: Scientists learn why cancer cells die, think it may transform treatment

Scientists at the Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI) have made a breakthrough discovery that could transform cancer treatment.

The experts have uncovered why cancer cells respond differently to radiotherapy, with some cells dying in ways that alert the immune system and others dying silently.

This difference is linked to how cancer cells repair DNA damage caused by radiation.

The research, led by Dr. Radoslaw Szmyd and Professor Tony Cesare, sheds light on the role of DNA repair in determining how cancer cells respond to radiotherapy.

Mystery of cancer cell death

Radiation therapy is an essential tool for treating cancer, as it works by killing cancer cells. However, scientists have long been perplexed by a puzzling phenomenon: even within the same tumor, radiation causes cells to die in different ways.

This difference matters because the type of cell death determines whether the immune system notices and responds.

Some cancer cell deaths go undetected by the immune system, meaning no further immune action is triggered. On the other hand, certain types of cell death activate the immune system, prompting it to attack remaining cancer cells.

Understanding why these variations occur is critical to improving cancer treatment. If scientists can harness the immune-activating forms of cell death, they can enhance the effectiveness of radiation therapy by combining it with immunotherapy.

This combination could lead to more powerful treatments that not only kill cancer cells but also help the body recognize and destroy any remaining cancer.

“Our research reveals that DNA repair, typically a protective mechanism, determines how cancer cells die after radiotherapy,” explained Professor Cesare from the University of Sydney.

“When radiation damages DNA, cells use various repair processes. These processes dictate whether the immune system recognizes the cancer cells.”

Unnoticed cancer cell deaths weaken treatment

The study revealed that how cancer cells repair DNA damage caused by radiation affects how they die. When cancer cells use a DNA repair process called homologous recombination, they die during cell division. However, this type of death doesn’t alert the immune system, allowing the cancer to stay under the radar.

In contrast, when cells use other DNA repair pathways, they release byproducts that resemble a viral or bacterial infection. These byproducts signal the immune system to respond, enabling it to recognize and attack remaining cancer cells.

The researchers discovered that blocking homologous recombination changes the way cancer cells die. Instead of dying silently, they now die in a way that activates the immune system. This finding could pave the way for combining radiotherapy with drugs that inhibit homologous recombination.

This approach would boost the immune response, making radiotherapy more effective at destroying cancer and reducing the chances of recurrence.

A decades-old question answered

“Live imaging allowed us to observe the complexity of outcomes following radiation therapy,” said Professor Cesare. “This technology was critical in solving the puzzle.”

Professor Harriet Gee, co-project lead, emphasized the clinical significance of these findings.

“We discovered that tumor cell death after radiotherapy depends on specific DNA repair pathways. This insight allows us to combine radiotherapy with immunotherapy to increase cure rates.”

Dr. Szmyd dedicated six years to this remarkable research. “The perseverance required for such a project is incredible. Knowing this discovery could improve cancer patients’ lives is deeply rewarding,” noted Professor Cesare.

The fight against cancer

This research from CMRI solves a decades-old mystery about why cancer cells respond differently to radiation therapy. More importantly, it points to a new way to enhance cancer treatment.

By combining radiotherapy with drugs that inhibit specific DNA repair processes, and adding immunotherapy, scientists hope to create treatments that not only kill cancer cells but also alert the immune system to attack any remaining cancer.

This discovery highlights the power of teamwork and perseverance in scientific research. It also demonstrates how advanced tools, like live cell imaging, are essential for uncovering the complexities of cancer biology.

Together, these efforts are opening new doors in the fight against cancer and bringing hope for more effective, life-saving treatments.

The study is published in the journal Nature Cell Biology.

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