World-first research discovers ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ cancer cells
Source: Monash Partners Comprehensive Cancer Consortium, March 2023
Melbourne researchers have discovered how a rogue protein produces ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ cancer cells, which could lead to improved treatments for melanoma and other cancers.
The world-first Monash University-led study, published in the journal Oncogene, focused on a protein called EZH2, which is known to promote the development and progression of many cancer types, including melanoma and cancers of the prostate, brain, breast, and ovary.
Using laboratory models and human melanoma samples, Monash University Central Clinical School’s Cancer Development and Treatment Group found that EZH2 plays an essential role in generating more aggressive cells within tumours, a phenomenon linked to poor outcomes.