Iron control in cancer cells could lead to a novel strategy of cancer treatment
June 06, 2013
The research group in the Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences has developed a new strategy in the treatment of cancer involving the depletion of iron levels combined with anti-angiogenic therapy.
The findings were published in the journal International Journal of Cancer on June 1, 2013.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ijc.27943/suppinfo
Iron is an essential element for both normal and cancer cells in humans. Treatment to reduce iron levels has been shown to suppress tumor growth in vivo. However, iron depletion treatment has not been considered before and is not part of the standard therapeutic strategy for the treatment of cancer.
The new strategy received remarkable attention from universities, institutes and industries at “BIO tech 2013” which was held in Tokyo in May.
Further study about this strategy could lead to a new life and treatment style of cancer patients that combines an iron-deficient diet with anti-angiogenic therapy.
An iron-depleted condition inhibits cancer cell proliferation and reciprocally induces angiogenesis (Fig. 1). Based on this mechanism, T. Ohara, K. Noma and their colleagues have developed a new strategy of cancer treatment: to deplete iron levels artificially in combination with anti-angiogenic therapy.
Fig.1 Image of iron-depletion treatment
Novel anti-cancer drugs are being developed one after another. However, cancer has not been thoroughly cured by them. The new strategy described here could be effective against some kinds of cancer that current anti-cancer drugs are not very effective towards and would be expected to enhance antiangiogenic drugs now and in the future.
This study was funded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and Okayama Prefecture for the Promotion of Science & Technology.
Contact Information:
Mototaka Senda, Ph.D.
Intellectual Property Office, Organization for Research Promotion and Collaboration
US Representative, Fremont, California USA
TEL: 1-510-797-0907
Email: [email protected]
Toshiaki Ohara, Ph.D.
Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences,Okayama University, Okayama Japan