Scientists discover chemical which can kill glioblastoma cells

Aggressive brain tumour cells taken from patients self-destructed after being exposed to a chemical in laboratory tests, researchers have shown.

The study could be the first step in tackling cancers like glioblastoma, which led to Dame Tessa Jowell's death earlier this year.

The research, led by the University of Leeds, found that the synthetic chemical, named KHS101, was able to cut the energy source of tumour cells from glioblastoma, leading to the death of the cells.

Published in Science Translational Medicine, the research represents an important step forward in tackling this disease, which is one of the deadliest cancers, with a five-year survival rate of less than¬ five per cent.

Over 2,000 people are diagnosed with glioblastoma in the UK every year, and it has recently been discussed in Parliament as a disease which urgently requires improvements in treatment options.

Funded initially by the Medical Research Council, the new study showed promising results which may lead to the development of a therapy to fight brain cancer in years to come.

Dr. Heiko Wurdak, from the University of Leeds who led the international research team, said: "When we started this research we thought KHS101 might slow down the growth of glioblastoma, but we were surprised to find that the tumour cells basically self-destructed when exposed to it.

More information: E.S. Polson el al., "KHS101 disrupts energy metabolism in human glioblastoma cells and reduces tumor growth in mice," Science Translational Medicine (2018). stm.sciencemag.org/lookup/doi/ … scitranslmed.aar2718