Acute myeloid leukemia: New drug combination can effectively treat this condition

Cancer starts when cells in your body’s organ begin to grow abnormally. Leukemias are generally a type of cancer and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is referred to as cancer that grows inside the bone marrow.

By: Satata Karmakar | | Updated: January 21, 2021 11:10 am

Acute myeloid leukemia: This drug combination can cure this condition

You all know how dangerous cancer cells are. But, have you ever thought of how the cells get divided and spread the disease from one organ to the there inside your body? To begin with, cancer starts when cells in your body’s organ begin to grow abnormally. Leukemias are generally a type of cancer and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is referred to as cancer that grows inside the bone marrow. Also Read - Acid reflux ups your risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma: Warning signs to look out for

According to a new study, two drugs that are potent against acute myeloid leukemia (AML) when combined have been identified. The researchers said that the drugs are effective only when they are combined, but are weakly effective when used alone. Also Read - New gene-based blood tests can detect skin cancers and reduce death risks

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE DRUGS ARE USED SEPARATELY?

The research team was able to significantly enhance cancer cell death by jointly administering the drugs that are only partially effective when used as single-agent therapies. Also Read - Bladder cancer: This drug can reduce death risk in patients with this condition

Speaking to the media, researcher Peter Adams, Professor said that their study has identified two types of drugs namely – MDM2 inhibitors and BET inhibitors which works wonders to promote significant anti-leukemia activity.

“The results were surprising because previous research had shown that each drug on its own had modest benefit against AML. The new research provides a scientific rationale to advance clinical studies of the drug combination in patients with AML,” Adams added in the study published in the journal Nature Communications.

RISK FACTORS OF ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA

What is a risk factor? Well, a risk factor decides your chance of getting the particular disease. In the case of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) the risk factors include:

1. Age

Age is always a vital checkpoint for all types of diseases. Based on the reports, acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is more common among older people.

2. Gender

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a type of cancer and you can get this disease at any age. But, what is interesting here is that AML is more common in males than in females.

3. Smoking

Are you a chain smoker? be careful as this habit can be fatal. Smoking causes cancer and acute myeloid leukemia is a type of cancer that is triggered when you smoke tobacco.

4. Family History

Family history has always been the topmost risk factor for someone to get cancer. Having a relative or someone from your family who has suffered or is still suffering from AML increases your risk of getting the disease.

TYPES OF ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA

There are various types of acute myeloid leukemia or AML, and added to that different cases have different chromosome changes, gene mutations, and epigenetic modifications. All these barriers together were making it extremely difficult for the researchers to identify a paper solution for the treatment of patients suffering from acute myeloid leukemia.

“Although much progress has been made toward finding effective treatments for acute myeloid leukemia in recent years, the long-term overall survival has stagnated,” one of the researchers was quoted as saying.

WHAT IS THE RATE OF SURVIVAL FOR ADULTS WITH ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA

According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year survival rate for adults with AML remains less than 30 per cent.

Notably, TP53, the most frequently mutated gene in all human cancers, is found unaltered in about 90 per cent of AML patients, the researchers said.

Since the product of the TP53 gene, p53, acts to suppress tumours, scientists have sought drugs that reactivate or boost its anti-cancer powers in AML, which should provide a clinical benefit. However, such drugs on their own have been disappointing in AML.

“We were interested in combining MDM2 and BET inhibitors because each showed encouraging pre-clinical activity, but limited activity when given to patients as a single agent,” said Adams.

“Our research unexpectedly showed that like MDM2 inhibitors, BET inhibitors activate p53, but through a different pathway. BET inhibitors mute the power of a protein called BRD4, which we found is a p53 suppressor in AML,” Adams added.

(With inputs from IANS)

Published : January 20, 2021 3:43 pm | Updated:January 21, 2021 11:10 am

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