CMRI discovery leads to new test for aggressive cancers

Scientific research by the Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI), Sydney, has enabled the development of a test for approximately 15% of all cancers, including some of the most aggressive and potentially lethal.

The test or assay will speed up the search for drugs to treat these cancers because it offers a rapid method for screening compounds to identify new anti-cancer drugs.

This research – which provides insights into the mechanics of about 15% of all cancers – is published in the prestigious international scientific journal Nature Biotechnology on Monday 23 November.

Almost all cancers use one of two mechanisms to multiply indefinitely and become ‘immortal’.  About 15% of cancers, including some aggressive brain and bone cancers, and some breast and lung cancers, use the ‘alternative lengthening of telomeres’ (ALT) mechanism, measured by this new test from Dr Jeremy Henson and the team at CMRI.

The other 85% use the enzyme telomerase – the subject of the 2009 Nobel Prize in Medicine for Australian-born Elizabeth Blackburn and her US colleagues.  Both mechanisms allow cancer cells to continue multiplying unchecked by enabling them to lengthen the telomere DNA on the ends of their chromosomes.

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In related research, published in a sister journal Nature Structural and Molecular Biology, the team have also made a discovery that reveals further information on how telomeres are protected and what happens when they become damaged.

These two publications mark major milestones in CMRI's cancer research progress and are rich rewards for the perseverance of both our cancer researchers and the many many generous people who support our work through donations to CMRI and Jeans for Genes Day.