Protein "switch" can cut off the blood supply of cancer cells

According to Xinhua news agency, London, November 10 (reporter Liu Shilei) a new British study found that by regulating a signal protein, it can prevent the formation of new blood vessels around prostate cancer tissues, thus cutting off the nutritional supply pathway of cancer cells, inhibiting tumor growth and cancer expansion The researchers found that prostate cancer cells produce such factors that promote vascular growth, allowing new blood vessels to grow around cancerous tissue, delivering oxygen and other essential nutrients Based on this finding, researchers have developed a compound that can "switch" on and off the formation of vascular endothelial growth factor, allowing the factor to all exist in the form of inhibiting vascular growth In animal experiments, the researchers injected prostate cancer mice with the compound three times a week, and the tumors gradually stopped growing and began to shrink, while the mice did not show significant discomfort The next step, the researchers say, is to test whether the treatment works for human patients and for other types of cancer If all goes well, a biotechnology company at the University of Nottingham will start developing oral or injectable drugs as a new long-term maintenance treatment for cancer patients, controlling the growth of cancer cells and inhibiting their spread to other organs.