Good news: New cancer drug discovered that causes cancer cells to 'starve'

A research team from three prestigious institutes and universities around the world has discovered a new compound that can attack the "energy plants" of cancer cells and "starve" them.

According to ScienceDaily , a research team at the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Aging (Germany), Karolinska Institutet and Gothenburg University (Sweden) said that this compound has the potential to be developed into a future cancer drug for humans.

Scientists have discovered a new compound that has the potential to be developed into a cancer drug for humans - (Photo: REUTERS)

Mitochondria are considered the "powerhouses" of the cell, providing energy and essential materials for the normal function of tissues and organs. For a long time, it was thought that the development of cancer cells had nothing to do with mitochondria.

However, recent discoveries show that cancer stem cells are highly dependent on the metabolism of mitochandria. This helps scientists think of a new direction for cancer treatment, but is also no less challenging.

Mitochondria are crucial to cell function, but drugs that attack them are often toxic, making this approach to cancer treatment difficult. But the team has found a way to overcome these obstacles.

"We have created a potential cancer drug that targets mitochondrial function without causing serious side effects or harming healthy cells ," said Nina Bonekamp, ​​author of the study.

The compound the team discovered was able to dramatically reduce cancer cell viability and tumor growth in mice without causing harm to them. The data showed that the substance "starved" cancer cells without any toxic side effects over a period of time.

"It opens up a potential window into cancer treatment. Another advantage is that we know exactly where it is and where it works, which is something that some other drugs can't do ," said Nina Bonekamp.