Researchers Discover Novel Target for Lung Cancer Treatment

A protein on the surface of lung cancer cells that could pave way to new drug targets for treatment of lung cancer has been discovered by US researchers. A series of experiments in mice with lung cancer showed that specific targeting of the protein with monoclonal antibodies reduced the size of tumors, lowered the occurrence of metastases and substantially lengthened survival time.

"Lung cancer continues to be one of the biggest killers in the United States, and very few treatments directly target it," said Joseph Tuscano, co-principal investigator of the study and professor of hematology and oncology in the UC Davis Department of Internal Medicine.

"Our findings may ultimately lead to the identification of a novel and specific therapy for lung cancer."

The findings will be published in the November issue of Cancer Research.

Source-ANI