Gene may help drugs fight cancer

GRANADA, Spain, Nov. 25 (UPI) -- Spanish scientists say they have found a gene that leads to the death of tumor cells derived from breast, lung and colon cancer.

The University of Granada researchers, led by Professors Antonia Jimenez, Jose Salazar and Consolacion Alonso, said the importance of the newly found gene -- called "gene E" -- is that its use to fight cancer can reduce the potent drugs that are currently used, resulting in a more effective treatment.

The researchers, including Ana Rosa Rama, said chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery show at present "limited" results in advanced stages of cancer.

"That is why it is urgent to find new therapies, and gene therapy has emerged as a potentially powerful therapeutic platform," Rama said, noting "it is possible to use gene therapy as an aid to chemotherapy, improving its results when it comes to attacking cancer, thus allowing the dosage of agents to be reduced and contributing to a reduction in side effects for the patient."

The scientists said their research suggests the possibility of using gene E to reduce the concentration of chemotherapeutic agents in current use with cancer patients.