In an article published in the Molecular Cancer journal, a research team at MedUni Vienna, Austria, broke new ground and investigated the role of the protein in KMT2C in prostate cancer. KMT2C is a genetic component that essentially functions as a regulator of central cellular processes. If KMT2C loses this regulatory ability due to typical cancer-related mutations, this encourages the proliferation of the cancer gene MYC.
“Our study provides new insights into the previously poorly understood transition from localized prostate cancer to terminal metastatic prostate cancer,” says study leader Lukas Kenner (Department of Pathology at MedUni Vienna, Comprehensive Cancer Center of MedUni Vienna and University Hospital Vienna, Department of Laboratory Animal Pathology at Vetmeduni Vienna and the K1 Center CBmed), underlining the significance of the research work.
KMT2C mutation status can be measured via a blood test, allowing early diagnosis of potentially aggressive progression in prostate cancers.
In addition, MYC inhibitors could be used to prevent increased cell division, and hence metastasis, and it is hoped that further scientific studies will substantiate this.
MYC inhibitors are essentially new cancer treatment drugs that have already been tested in clinical trials and — if further studies confirm this — could also be used in metastatic prostate cancer in the next few years.
mh/pll/car/znc
