Breakthrough discovery offers hope to cancer-suffering kids
Sydney, Aug 15 (ANI)

Scientists at the Children's Cancer Institute in Australia have made a discovery that could improve the survival rates of hundreds of children suffering from cancer.

The researchers have identified a compound that allows resistant cancer cells in children with neuroblastoma to be destroyed with chemotherapy.

Associate Professor Murray Norris said the study showed that cancer patients responded poorly to chemotherapy due to high levels of a gene called MRP1 in their tumour cells.

MRP1 acts like a vacuum cleaner inside cancer cells by preventing chemotherapy drugs from getting in and destroying them and effectively protecting the rogue cells.

Researchers said that the new compound, tentatively named 4H10, made the cancer cells sensitive to chemotherapy again by blocking the action of the MRP1 gene.

"This study is a significant one. This gene is one of the major factors contributing to these children doing so poorly," news.com quoted Norris as saying.

However, another associate Professor David Ashley, from the Royal Children's Hospital said that he was concerned the research had not yet been subjected to peer review.

"The strongest I think you can say is that it could be potentially helpful," added Ashley.