Novel drug grouping could treat resistant cancers

The combination of targeted therapies has been found to effectively treat two aggressive cancer types, it has been revealed.

In a study published by Cancer Cell journal, scientists from the Brigham and Women's Hospital made the breakthrough, as the two tumour types have not until now had effective therapies.

Although there is a plethora of anti-cancer drugs in development, many now do not respond to currently available single therapies, which means scientists are continuously working to uncover combinations that will treat resistant forms of cancer.

The combination identified in this case can be used to treat a nervous system tumour associated with neurofibromatosis type 1 and KRAS-mutant lung cancer, a form which accounts for a quarter of all lung cancers.

Dr Karen Cichowski, associate professor in Genetics at BWH and lead author of the paper, claimed that at the moment these illnesses are being treated with chemotherapy, with variable success.

"By identifying a more effective targeted treatment, the outcome and survival rate for these cancers may see a drastic improvement, and patients may avoid the typical side-effects of chemotherapy," she said.