Group items tagged

A group of drugs commonly used to treat erectile dysfunction may be able to boost the effect of chemotherapy in oesophageal cancer, according to new research funded by Cancer Research UK and the Medical Research Council. The research, published on Tuesday (June 22) in Cell Reports Medicine, found that the drugs, known as PDE5 inhibitors can reverse chemotherapy resistance by targeting cells called cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) residing in the area surrounding the tumour. Although this is early discovery research, PDE5 inhibitors combined with chemotherapy, may be able to shrink some oesophageal tumours more than chemotherapy could alone, tackling chemotherapy resistance, which is one of the major challenges in treating oesophageal cancer. Oesophageal cancer affects the food pipe that connects the mouth to the stomach, and while it is a relatively rare cancer, the UK has one of the higher rates in the world, with 9,300 new oesophageal cancer cases in the UK every year. Resistance to chemotherapy in oesophageal cancer is influenced by the tumour microenvironment, the area that sounds the tumour. This is made up of molecules, blood vessels, and cells such as cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which are important for tumour growth. It feeds the tumour and can act as a protective cloak, preventing treatments like chemotherapy from having an effect.

A new cancer treatment for adults with stomach (gastric) and gastro oesophageal junction cancer has been approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) this week. According to the MHRA, Zolbetuximab, a monoclonal antibody, is designed to target and destroy specific cancer cells, offering a new option for patients whose cancer is inoperable or has spread. The new targeted cancer treatment for gastric and gastro-oesophageal junction cancer is administered intravenously in combination with standard chemotherapy regimens and is typically given every two to three weeks under the supervision of an experienced oncologist. Zolbetuximab is indicated for patients whose tumors are positive for the Claudin18.2 (CLDN18.2) protein and negative for the Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) protein.