Chemotherapy is an integral part of cancer treatment, designed to target rapidly dividing cancer cells. This targeted treatment often leads to programmed cell death or apoptosis. However, there’s a catch – chemotherapy also affects non-cancerous cells that are dividing. Tissues with a significant number of such normal cells, including cells in the digestive tract, bone marrow, and hair follicles, also suffer apoptosis. This process results in side effects like painful inflammation of the oral cavity and the gut, nausea, anaemia, diarrhoea, and hair loss. Balancing between effective cancer cell destruction and manageable side effects is a challenge for oncologists.
Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) for Targeted Approach
In order to resolve this issue to a certain extent, scientists have developed Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs), which are specifically designed for targeted cancer treatments. ADCs essentially attach drugs to antibodies which can recognize proteins predominantly found in cancer cells. This precision helps deliver chemotherapy directly to cancer cells, while sparing healthy ones, and thus cutting down on collateral damage.
The Challenge Of Chemotherapy Resistance
Despite these advances, some cancer cells manage to evade the effects of chemotherapy, posing a risk of higher cancer relapse. The study sheds light on understanding resistance to a commonly used chemotherapeutic agent named Taxol.
The ABCB1 Gene And Its Role In Chemotherapy Resistance
Resistance to Taxol has been closely associated with the location of the ABCB1 gene within the cell’s nucleus. Cells sensitive to chemotherapy show different ABCB1 gene locations compared to resistant cells. In resistant cells, this gene detaches from the nuclear envelope (or membrane) and shifts deeper into the nucleus, leading to a considerable 100-fold increase in RNA corresponding to the ABCB1 gene.
P-gp Efflux Pump: The Gatekeeper Of Cancer Cells
The amplified RNA levels result in the production of the P-gp efflux pump, a pivotal player in chemotherapy resistance. This pump removes toxic compounds like Taxol from the cell, preventing their accumulation in levels high enough to trigger apoptosis. This is what allows cancer cells to persist and thrive.
Unraveling The Role Of The Lamin B Receptor (LBR)
The researchers aimed to understand what keeps the ABCB1 gene anchored to the nuclear envelope in sensitive cells. Their study identified the Lamin B Receptor (LBR) – a protein that influences the ABCB1 gene’s location and activity. When LBR is absent, cells can activate the ABCB1 gene when exposed to Taxol. The research indicates that additional factors are likely involved in silencing ABCB1.
Variability In Cancer Cell Responses
The study emphasizes the variations amongst different types of cancer cells in response to the absence of LBR. For example, lung cancer cells expressed high ABCB1 RNA levels but didn’t significantly show increased resistance to Taxol after depleting LBR. However, breast cancer cells demonstrated an increased Taxol-resistant fraction post LBR depletion.
Getting To Know Chemotherapy And Cancer
Chemotherapy is a potent anti-cancer treatment crafted to eliminate fast-growing cells in the body. As cancer cells proliferate and multiply more than most body cells, chemotherapy can be used alone or coupled with other treatments like surgery, radiation, or hormone therapy. Cancer itself is a broad term used for diseases marked by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells that can invade and destroy healthy tissues and organs. These disruptive genetic mutations disrupt the normal cell cycle, causing cells to grow uncontrollably, forming a mass of tissue known as a tumour.
Government Initiatives Related To Cancer Treatment
Several government initiatives aim to combat the cancer menace. These include the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke; the National Cancer Grid; observance of the National Cancer Awareness Day; and the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine.