Cure of pancreatic cancer thanks to promising new treatments?

Scientists at the University of San Diego have discovered an enzyme that stimulates the growth of pancreatic tumors. They are currently working on a treatment. What could be the impacts of this discovery on the fight against cancer?

A major discovery in the fight against pancreatic cancer

Researchers at the University of San Diego have made a significant advance in understanding pancreatic cancer. They identified an enzyme, MICAL2, which appears to promote tumor growth in this disease.

A growing cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a serious disease, with nearly 16,000 cases recorded in France in 2023. It is the sixth most common cancer in the country. However, the progression of this disease is such that experts estimate that it could become the second cause of cancer mortality in France by 2030.

The role of the MICAL2 enzyme

The majority of pancreatic cancer cases, approximately 90%, present as pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. This type of cancer develops from the cells that produce pancreatic juice, necessary for digesting food. It is precisely on this form that researchers have focused their efforts.

Their work revealed that the MICAL2 enzyme plays a crucial role in the development of cancer. Usually, this protein is involved in cell movement and morphology. However, it also appears to act as a fuel for pancreatic tumors.

The researchers observed that:

• Patients whose tumor cells had low MICAL2 expression survived twice as long.
• Disabling the MICAL2 gene slowed the activity of the KRAS protein, known to stimulate the growth of cancer cells.
• MICAL2 would facilitate the spread of cancer to other healthy organs.

Treatments targeting the enzyme

Faced with these discoveries, researchers are convinced that this enzyme could be a promising target for new drug treatments against pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

“Pancreatic cancer has the highest mortality rate of all common cancers, so current treatments are woefully inadequate. “, says Professor Andrew Lowy, division chief of surgical oncology at the University of San Diego.

The possibility of targeting MICAL2 with drugs is viewed with optimism. Indeed, inhibitor treatments have already been successfully developed for other human diseases against similar proteins. The team of researchers is currently working to identify drug candidates to begin blocking MICAL2 function in pancreatic cancer.