Approximately one of 200 people is located to mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. Mutations increase the risk of developing breast cancer, ovaries, prostate and pancreas. Scientists have found the class of drugs known as POLQ inhibitors destroying cancer cells with BRCA mutations without damaging healthy cells, writes nature communications.
Actress Angelina Jolie suffered a prophylactic mastectomy in 2013 after the positive result of the test of the BRCA1 gene mutation. Now scientists have discovered the class of drugs that can destroy this type of cancer. Clinical trials of the drug on patients will begin at the end of this year.
The importance of the discovery is that the Cancer caused by the BRCA mutation is still being treated in two ways: chemotherapy and preparations – PARP inhibitors that work only for patients with ovarian cancer. Therefore, new drugs are POLQ inhibitors, can be hope for the salvation of other patients. They prevent self-assessment of cancer cells, while not affecting healthy. The scientist remains to prove that the drug will work in the body in the form of tablets.
Chris Lord (Chris Lord), Professor of Cancer Genomics at the Institute for Cancer Studies in London, explained that people with defects in BRCA genes are at risk of cancer development due to the fact that their cells cannot restore damaged DNA. Therefore, they develop abnormal cells that turn into a tumor. “All cells should restore damage to their DNA to stay healthy, otherwise the mutations accumulate and ultimately kill them. We have identified a new class of drugs that deprive the cancer tumors of their ability to restore their DNA. This new type of treatment can potentially be effective against cancer, Who already has problems with the restoration of its DNA due to defects in the BRCA genes, “said the scientist.
Earlier, the Surgeon-Oncologist Ivan Karasev called 12 products that would help reduce the risk of cancer. According to him, many oncologists consider healthy eating the most efficient way of cancer prevention.