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| Tumour-growth 'system' targeted | Tumour-growth 'system' targeted |
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| Scientists say they may be able to turn off a "system" that helps bowel tumours survive and grow bigger. | Scientists say they may be able to turn off a "system" that helps bowel tumours survive and grow bigger. |
| The University of Bristol team says it has found how a cancer detects the need for more blood vessels to supply it with the oxygen it needs to grow. | |
| It may be possible to "switch off" this detection system and kill off tumours, the researchers say. | |
| Their work, published in the journal Nature Cell Biology, could help improve drugs to fight these cancers. | |
| Bowel cancer is the second biggest cancer killer in the UK, with approximately 17,000 people dying from the disease every year - about half of those diagnosed. | Bowel cancer is the second biggest cancer killer in the UK, with approximately 17,000 people dying from the disease every year - about half of those diagnosed. |
| Experts need to find differences between the make-up of cancer cells and normal cells in order to discover ways to kill one, without harming the other. | Experts need to find differences between the make-up of cancer cells and normal cells in order to discover ways to kill one, without harming the other. |
| These cancers are incredibly smart and constantly adapt to their environment in order to survive - we have just got to be smarter Prof Chris ParaskevaBristol University | These cancers are incredibly smart and constantly adapt to their environment in order to survive - we have just got to be smarter Prof Chris ParaskevaBristol University |
| One of the most important differences in bowel cancers are the tactics employed by the cell to survive past the point an ordinary cell would normally die. | One of the most important differences in bowel cancers are the tactics employed by the cell to survive past the point an ordinary cell would normally die. |
| Bowel cancer cells produce a chemical which bypasses this "cell suicide" and stimulates uncontrolled growth, eventually forming a cluster of cancer cells called a tumour. | Bowel cancer cells produce a chemical which bypasses this "cell suicide" and stimulates uncontrolled growth, eventually forming a cluster of cancer cells called a tumour. |
| This cell cluster eventually needs an improved blood supply in order to be able to carry on growing - if it cannot get extra blood, the cells will starve to death. | This cell cluster eventually needs an improved blood supply in order to be able to carry on growing - if it cannot get extra blood, the cells will starve to death. |
| Sending for blood | Sending for blood |
| The Bristol team found that the tumour can sense when this is about to happen, and at that point, the chemical that triggers its growth changes role, and helps form a chemical messenger which instructs the body to create new blood vessels around the tumour. | The Bristol team found that the tumour can sense when this is about to happen, and at that point, the chemical that triggers its growth changes role, and helps form a chemical messenger which instructs the body to create new blood vessels around the tumour. |
| This process is called angiogenesis, and doctors have already created drugs - such as Avastin - designed to interfere with this. | This process is called angiogenesis, and doctors have already created drugs - such as Avastin - designed to interfere with this. |
| However, the new research, which looks at the process in more detail, could help create more precisely targeted drugs, which can turn off angiogenesis without some of the side-effects risked by those taking the current generation of chemotherapy. | However, the new research, which looks at the process in more detail, could help create more precisely targeted drugs, which can turn off angiogenesis without some of the side-effects risked by those taking the current generation of chemotherapy. |
| Professor Chris Paraskeva, who led the research, explained: "We believe it is essential to understand the survival strategies of cancers as they grow, and how they develop resistance to treatment therapies. | Professor Chris Paraskeva, who led the research, explained: "We believe it is essential to understand the survival strategies of cancers as they grow, and how they develop resistance to treatment therapies. |
| "These cancers are incredibly smart and constantly adapt to their environment in order to survive - we have just got to be smarter. | "These cancers are incredibly smart and constantly adapt to their environment in order to survive - we have just got to be smarter. |
| "We hope to use this new information to try and interfere with the tumour's survival tactics and thereby kill it off." | "We hope to use this new information to try and interfere with the tumour's survival tactics and thereby kill it off." |
| Long-term illness | Long-term illness |
| Dr Rob Glynne-Jones, a clinical oncologist at Mount Vernon Hospital in London, and a scientific adviser to the charity Bowel Cancer UK, said the project had produced "interesting" results. | Dr Rob Glynne-Jones, a clinical oncologist at Mount Vernon Hospital in London, and a scientific adviser to the charity Bowel Cancer UK, said the project had produced "interesting" results. |
| He said: "This is another step forward towards more specific drug treatments which do not carry as high a risk of side-effects in some patients. | He said: "This is another step forward towards more specific drug treatments which do not carry as high a risk of side-effects in some patients. |
| "I have no doubt that in the future drugs will be produced which will turn cancer into a long-term chronic illness, managed by the patient over far longer periods." | "I have no doubt that in the future drugs will be produced which will turn cancer into a long-term chronic illness, managed by the patient over far longer periods." |
| This research was funded by Cancer Research UK. Its medical director, Professor John Toy, said: "Bowel cancer is one of the most common cancers in Britain, so research aimed at reducing this toll is vitally important. | This research was funded by Cancer Research UK. Its medical director, Professor John Toy, said: "Bowel cancer is one of the most common cancers in Britain, so research aimed at reducing this toll is vitally important. |
| "This discovery adds to our understanding of how bowel cancer cells survive when their oxygen and food supplies become severely reduced, and could lead to new cancer treatments. | "This discovery adds to our understanding of how bowel cancer cells survive when their oxygen and food supplies become severely reduced, and could lead to new cancer treatments. |
| "We look forward to seeing the team's research progress in further laboratory studies and hope eventually to see it translate to clinical trials in patients." | "We look forward to seeing the team's research progress in further laboratory studies and hope eventually to see it translate to clinical trials in patients." |