Despite the fact that around 50 per cent of people in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, not everyone at high risk develops the disease, and researchers want to know why
Millions of people may possess natural “cancer resistance,” according to leading experts.
Scientists are being offered up to £20 million to investigate why some individuals appear to be immune to developing tumours. Despite the fact that around 50 per cent of people in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, not everyone at high risk, such as long-term smokers, develop the disease.
Cancer Research UK Professor Karen Vousden said: “We spend an awful lot of time thinking about why people do get cancer but we haven’t really thought about why some people don’t. I’d be hopeful we’d see this in a large proportion of the population.”
If even just two per cent of people show natural resistance that would be more than a million Brits.
Professor Vousden explained that the issues is complex, but genetics, environment and lifestyle factors may offer protection for some individuals.
“Cancer avoidance” is one of seven key topics available for research grant applications under Cancer Research UK’s Cancer Grand Challenges pot. The winners of the initiative will be announced next year.
Last year, the fund supported research into the increase in young-onset bowel cancer, with £5 million contributed by the Bowelbabe fund, established by Dame Deborah James.
It has been a good year for cancer research.
Scientists have made a major breakthrough in the search to stop cancer progression after discovering a new compound found in everyday gardening.
Scientists at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) have discovered a promising plant compound that could help fight cancer and multiple sclerosis (MS). The compound, sulfuretin, blocks an enzyme that plays a key role in both conditions by damaging the protective myelin sheath around neurons, a process seen in MS and certain cancers.
In another significant breakthrough in cancer research, scientists in South Korea announced in February that they had discovered a “switch” capable of reversing cancer cells. The team found that activating a molecular mechanism can revert cancerous cells to a healthier state.
This groundbreaking discovery identifies a critical point in the early stages of cancer development, before normal cells become irreversibly diseased, and could potentially lead to a new approach to treatment.
Traditional treatments typically involve removing or destroying cancer cells through surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy. However, this new research suggests a third option: helping patients regain healthy cells, which could offer less toxic and more effective therapies.
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