Triple attack on bowel cancer may block drug resistance, say scientists

A new study suggests that a "three-pronged attack" using a combination of drugs could help overcome the problems of cancer resistance in the intestine.

The multi-drug approach, similar to that used to treat HIV and TB, has proven effective in preliminary trials aimed at preventing cells from developing resistance.

This could help patients with bowel cancer benefit from longer treatments and prevent tumors from starting to develop again, according to the study published in the journal Oncogene.

Researchers at the London-based Cancer Institute said that this approach could also prove effective against other types of cancer.

"Cancer patients often respond very well initially to modern targeted drugs, but it remains to be feared that cancer will evolve to withstand treatment," said Professor Paul Workman, co-author of the Cancer Research Institute. study and general manager of the ICR.

"Our study dissected the process by which gut cancer cells evolve to become drug-resistant, and applied the knowledge gained to the design of a new triple-combination therapy."

The researchers examined 47 cell lines of bowel cancer and discovered, at first, that the drugs cobimetinib and pictilisib were working together to stem cancer growth.

After a period of eight to ten weeks, the sensitive cells developed resistance to the combination.

However, exposing the cells to a third drug called navitoclax for several weeks prevented them from becoming resistant.

Professor Workman said, "More research is needed, but we believe that this triple combination of targeted drugs could help patients respond to treatment much longer."

"Our study shows the potential of using multiple targeted drugs together to overcome cancer drug resistance, as happens in other diseases such as HIV," said Dr. Paul Clarke, author of the ### 39, study at the Cancer Research Institute.

"We showed that a three-pronged attack could be effective against cancer cells in the intestine by blocking their different routes of treatment exit.

"The research is still at a relatively early stage, but in principle, targeted drug combinations could be just as effective against many other types of cancer."