Cancer is not a single disease but a group of diseases that manifests by unusual growth of cells. these cells could be present in any part of the body and can cause serious complications. There is no cure for cancer right now but the new study claims to find a way to inhibit cancer growth in cells.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention terms cancer as the second biggest cause of death after heart problems. But this new study says that berzosertib can kill the cancer cells thus save a person from dying.
This medicine attacks the cell’s natural ability to overshadow the cancer growth and repair its own DNA. The complete findings of this study are published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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The research team investigated the mechanism of berzosertib to inhibit cancer growth through clinical trials. This berzosertib is one of the latest additions in medicines namely ataxia telangiectasia and rad3-related (ATR) inhibitors.
These ATR inhibitors work on limiting ATR protein which helps in cellular DNA repair. Among these study participants, two were completely free from cancer tumors while using berzosertib. It is a light of hope for millions of other cancer patients in the world. Many of which are desperately waiting for a permanent treatment.
This is somehow, highly unusual for any medicine to show such promising results in early trials. But it is good for cancer patients as this new medicine might help to prevent early-stage cancer as well.
The principal researcher and the first author of this study is Johann de Bono, from The Institute of Cancer Research, London. He says that this new clinical trial is the first-ever on the drug safety of cancer medicine and reports such a positive response.
The actual reason for cancer is somehow the cellular DNA damage. And this new drug works on repairing the DNA damage, thus inhibiting the cancer growth in cells. this way it stops the disease from infecting other body cells and prevailing the body.
The first phase of this cancer trial shows that berzosertib alone or as a part of chemotherapy on 40 study participants were successful in killing cancer cells. After this first success, the researchers worked on drug safety for more clinical trials. Eventually, this medicine proves no side effects on any user, except some mild effects which are a lot less bad than chemotherapy itself.
More than 50% of the study participants were able to show promising results with no cancer spread. For people under chemotherapy and this new medicine together were the most affected. Nearly 15 out of 21 patients showed stability in their medical condition.
The cancer growth was completely stopped in a patient with bowel cancer and he was free from cancer for the next two years while using this medicine.
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Another participant, a woman with ovarian cancer also experienced the same, while using berzosertib and chemotherapy.
Paul Workman, the head at The Institute of Cancer Research says that targeting DNA repair mechanisms is bringing fruitful results. Watching these promising results is exciting, he says. Further studies could highlight the benefits of this new medicine for cancer patients in detail.
New drug trials on berzosertib are all set for the future. The researchers are very hopeful that they may find a new treatment to inhibit cancer growth in advanced-stage patients.
