Marker may gauge adult brain cancer

DALLAS, April 1 (UPI) -- A biological indicator has been found that may help identify which brain-cancer patients have the most aggressive forms of the disease, U.S. researchers say.

Dr. Amyn Habib of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and colleagues found that an inflammation-related molecule called RIP1 is commonly found in high levels in glioblastoma, the most common primary malignant brain tumor in adults.

The protein RIP1 is a component of the complex NF-kB signaling network -- a family of proteins that play a key role in inflammation-induced cancer.

The study, published in the April issue of Cancer Research, could provide a new target for therapeutic drugs for glioblastoma patients who have a high level of RIP1 in their tumors coupled with NF-kB activation.

"This is the first report of high RIP1 levels being associated with any type of cancer," Habib,Senior the lead author, said in a statement.

"Our data suggests that increased expression of RIP1 could serve as a marker to identify patients who have a significantly worse prognosis and who will likely be resistant to chemotherapy."