Science - MAHAMAG Magazine beyond boundaries

A new way to put an end cancer…!!

Scientists from the University of Dundee in Scotland believe they have made a breakthrough which can totally eradicate the previously undrugable cancerous proteins. They have developed a ‘kiss of death’ for the proteins, which they know also cause conditions such as Huntingdon’s disease, but have been resistant to drugs. They call this a ‘Kiss of Death’, as it is the key to ensure the degradation of the bad protein. Scientist hope that the discovery of a drug that gives cancer causing proteins a ‘kiss of death’ will wipe out the disease.

Though the proteins have been resistant to drugs in the past, the scientists think that the kiss of death that they have developed uses molecules to bind them to a neutralizing agent before destroying the proteins. It is a highly complex area as these proteins can often fool regulators within the cell and be extremely difficult to pin down with inhibitors. The major problem

scientists are facing is that they have been unable to find the small molecules which can successfully bind to these proteins and at the same time hamper their function.

Although nothing is certain in these days, scientists believe that this breakthrough could lead to the complete extermination of these bad undrugable proteins for good in the near future.

According to WHO reports, Cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with approximately 14 million new cases in 2012. The number of new cases is expected to rise by about 70% over the next two decades. WHO declared it as the second leading cause of death

globally and was responsible for 8.8million deaths in 2015. Globally nearly 1 in 6 deaths is due to Cancer.

The fact to be mentioned is that, while cancer is common in the Western

world more cases are seen in developing countries and these nations will see the biggest rise in the future. More than 60% of the world’s total cases occur in Africa, Asia and Central and South America. Approximately 70% of deaths from cancer occur in low and middle income countries. Late stage presentation and inaccessible diagnosis and treatment are common in these nations. In 2015, only 35% of low income countries reported having pathology services generally available in the public sector. More than 90% of high income countries reported treatment services are available compared to less than 30% of low income countries.

Half of all cancers are avoidable. Access to effective and affordable treatments is key to this, as is cancer prevention. Experience from high income countries shows that early diagnosis and treatment works but that health promotion alone is insufficient.

The economic impact of cancer is significant and is increasing. It is the leading cause of economic loss through premature death and disability worldwide – because of the vast sums spent on treatment, but also in economic and social activity. The total annual economic cost of cancer in 2010 was estimated at approximately US$ 1.16 trillion.

Another advantage of Kiss of Death is that it completely wipes out the disease. All those methods we are practicing today could not promise us that the disease will never come back. There is a chance of it coming back.

Even though the newly founded drug is giving us hopes, the question it raises is about its cost. The medicines available now are even costlier for the developing and under developed

countries. So, will the newly introduced one is affordable for those nations are raising doubts. And above all, most of these death cases are reported in low and middle income nations. So it is clear that they will be the biggest consumers of this newly introduced drug.

By 2025 it is expected that 19.3 million new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed each year. This new drug is a relief for all such news.

The most commonly used treatments for cancer are Surgery, Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy. But it has certain serious side effects like losing hair, Anemia, Appetite loss, Memory or Concentration problems, Sleep problems, Nerve problems and the like. May be this drug can be a solution for all those problems that we are facing now.

Despite treatment advances and screening programs to detect the disease earlier, the cancer burden is increasing. The world’s population is growing and lifespan is increasing. This means there are more and more people who can develop cancer.

If Kiss of Death became a successful one and at the same time affordable to those needy nations, then it can put an end to the monster who threatened the human race over all these years. Fingers crossed!!! Professor Alessio Ciulli,