Breaking barriers in the treatment of colorectal cancer

Luisa Statello

Fundación para la Investigación Médica Aplicada (FIMA/CIMA), Navarra, Spain

Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide, and a major challenge in effectively treating it is that tumours frequently become resistant to available therapies. This resistance makes current treatments less effective, leaving patients with limited options and often leading to poorer outcomes.

This project is now taking a fresh approach to fighting this disease by focusing on RNA. Specifically, this team is studying a group of molecules that affect how genes work without being turned into proteins. These molecules seem to play a role in helping tumours resist treatment. What makes them particularly promising as targets for new treatments is their ability to be fine-tuned and their unique presence in specific tissues and disease types, which can make treatments more precise and less harmful.

Based on this understanding, a new therapy is being developed to block these molecules and stop cancer cells from surviving treatments. This therapy could work on its own or combined with current treatments to make them more effective. By targeting cancer with such precision, this approach offers the potential to avoid many of the toxic side effects associated with traditional treatments, ultimately improving the quality of life for patients.

Advances in methods for delivering these therapies safely and effectively are fuelling optimism that this innovative idea can become a reality. With this research, scientists hope to open new doors for treating drug-resistant colorectal cancer, offering hope and better outcomes to many patients while paving the way for future advancements in cancer treatment.

Harness lncRNA targeting to enhance treatment for colorectal cancer

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