Yasmina Kattou, edited by Alexandre Dalifard / Photo credit: PEAKSTOCK / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRAR / LDA / Science Photo Library via AFP 06:17, August 03, 2023

Resistance to cancer treatments is the major obstacle in the management of cancer patients. This is explained by the mutation of cells that become more resistant to chemotherapy. On the other hand, a team led by a CNRS researcher managed to block this phenomenon of resistance.

The major obstacles in the management of cancer patients are resistance to cancer treatments. This is due to the mutation of cells that become more resistant to chemotherapy. A team led by a CNRS researcher has managed to block this phenomenon of resistance and the results were published Wednesday evening in the journal "Nature". But concretely, how does it work?

The antibody blocks the mutation of cells

Over the course of chemotherapy and immunotherapies, cancer cells change shape and even hide to avoid treatment. But thanks to the antibody made in the laboratory, the protein that allows this mutation of cells is blocked. As a result, all tumors are affected by cancer treatments. Patrick Mehlen, director of the Lyon cancer center, is one of the scientists behind this discovery. It details the promising results thanks to the antibody.

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"In humans, it's just phase one for now, we have a monotherapy response. So only the antibody seems to give benefits. Indeed, we have patients who see their tumor shrink significantly and we have stabilized a significant part of the patients, that is to say that their disease has not been able to progress, "explains the specialist at the microphone of Europe 1. Tests on humans continue to find out if the antibody, combined with chemotherapy, improves treatment outcomes. On mice, it is certain, the study proves it: therapies are more likely to annihilate cancer, thanks to the antibody.