Australian scientists have identified a new method to destroy cancer cells in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), one of the most aggressive and difficult blood cancers to treat.
Researchers at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Center found that AML cells depend on a molecule called heme to survive and continue growing. This reliance is strongest in leukemia stem cells, which are responsible for relapse. When scientists blocked the production of heme, the cancer cells died through a newly recognized process called cuproptosis.
“By stopping AML cells from making heme, we can trigger cuproptosis, a unique form of cell death,” said Dr. Alexander Lewis, a postdoctoral researcher at Peter Mac. “This allows us to target the cells most likely to cause the cancer to return.”
Lewis, the lead author of the study published in Cell, said the findings reveal a core weakness in AML cells. Multiple Australian research institutes contributed to the project.
Around 900 Australians are diagnosed with AML each year. About half relapse after initial treatment, and patients who relapse often survive only four to six months.
According to Lewis, the discovery may pave the way for therapies that not only kill AML cells but also reduce the chance of the disease returning. He added that the approach may help patients whose leukemia no longer responds to standard treatments.
The team also identified other metabolic pathways that could be combined with heme-blocking strategies. Researchers say these combinations may further improve treatment effectiveness.
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