ZCZC
BFF-15
CANCER-DRUG-STROKE-YOUNG PEOPLE
Cancer drug points to stroke treatment for young people: Aussie-led
research
SYDNEY, Nov 8, 2018 (BSS/Xinhua) – A drug used to treat cancer patients
could also be a treatment option for a leading cause of stroke in young
people, according to latest Australian-led research.
Researchers, using mice models, discovered that cancer drug Ponatinib
inhibits the signaling pathway of a specific enzyme, a process which is one
of the causes of a brain blood vessel condition linked to stroke, the
Centenary Institute medical research facility said in a statement on
Thursday.
The medical condition, Cerebral Cavernous Malformations (CCM), occurs when
abnormal and dilated thin-walled blood vessels form clusters in the brain,
altering blood flow, according to the institute. CCM affects as many as one
in 200 people and can cause bleeding, epilepsy and stroke.
Currently, the only treatment for the condition is surgery, which is not
always possible – highlighting the urgent need for non-invasive,
pharmacological treatment options, said the institute.
The latest findings are a significant step in the quest to find a suitable
treatment for the debilitating disease, said institute researcher Jaesung
Peter Choi.
“Our next goal is to synthesize derivatives of Ponatinib for specific use
in CCM to maximize its efficacy, and to minimize any side effects,” said
Choi, who also led the report on the study published in scientific journal
Science Advances.
“CCM is a cruel disease, which many patients don’t realize they have until
they experience a seizure or a stroke. If successful in clinical trials, this
drug could potentially save lives,” said Xiangjian Zheng, the report’s senior
author and head of the institute’s cell signaling laboratory.
BSS/XINHUA/FI/ 0852 hrs