New lung cancer factors identified

IRISH RESEARCHERS have identified new factors in the prevalence of lung cancer which they claim could lead to therapies to treat the deadly disease.

A study carried out at St James’s Hospital in Dublin has discovered the impact that two blood clotting enzymes have on lung cancer cells. One, thromboxane synthase, promotes the growth of the cells. The other, prostacyclin synthase, inhibits that growth.

The findings will be presented at the British Thoracic Oncology Group annual conference in the Burlington Hotel in Dublin, which takes place from tomorrow until Friday.

The research, which was funded by the Irish Cancer Society, was carried out using St James’s biobank facility. The team investigated enzymes in lung cancer tissue samples from 204 lung cancer patients.

Higher levels of the cancer-promoting enzyme were found in patients with adenocarcinoma which accounts for about 40 per cent of all lung cancers.

Lung cancer remains the deadliest of all cancers and has proved to be stubbornly resistent to treatments and therapies which could prolong the lives of those affected.

More than 1,700 people died of the disease in Ireland last year and the survival rate after five years is only 12 per cent, although it is increasing.

Lung cancer specialist Prof Ken O’Byrne said the research “significantly improved” the knowledge of the regulatory mechanisms that control the survival of tumour cells in the lungs. However researcher Dr Mary Clare Cathcart cautioned against the notion there could be any “magic bullet” for the cure of lung cancer.