(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Cancer patients reeling from metastasis may be on
the verge of a major victory.
Researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College say new anti-cancer agents may stop
metastasis -- or the migration of cancer cells from a tumor to other parts of
the body -- dead in its tracks.
“More than 90 percent of cancer patients die from tumors spreading,” Dr. Xin-Yun
Huang, a professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at Weill
Cornell Medical College, told Ivanhoe. “In turn,” he continued “[this] may
increase the survival rate."
Researchers found mice implanted with cancer cells and treated with the small
molecule macroketone lived a full life without any cancer spread, compared to
control animals -- which all died from metastasis.
Dr. Huang and his team have been focusing on macroketone since 2003, and he
admits to being extremely excited about the future possibilities for his
research. While information-gathering is still in its early stages, Dr. Huang
says it’s possible his team could get the green light for clinical trials in the
near future.
Source: Ivanhoe interview with Xin-Yun Huang; Nature, published online April 14,
2010
