US scientists, led by Indian, make pathbreaking discovery that could improve lives of brain cancer patients
The Hindu
Scientists discovered that the cancerous cells link up with healthy brain cells to become hyperactive and cause speedy cognitive loss and death in patients
In a pathbreaking finding that could bring in a fundamental change in the treatment of cancerous brain tumours, a team of scientists from the San Francisco Medical Centre, University of California, discovered that the cancerous cells link up with healthy brain cells to become hyperactive and cause speedy cognitive loss and death in patients.
The team, led by Saritha Krishna, an Indian, also found out that a commonly used anti-seizure drug was effective in reducing the hyperactivity of the tumour cells and even halting their growth.
The study was published in the latest issue of the science journal Nature.
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Scientists have found out that the communication between healthy brain cells and cancerous cells could be manipulated to slow down or even halt the growth of the tumour.
These findings will be more beneficial to patients with glioblastoma, considered the most fatal among adult brain cancers, the study noted.
The study conducted by Krishna and fellow scientist Shawn Hervey-Jumper discovered a previously unknown mechanism by which brain tumours hijack and modify brain circuitry to cause a decline in cognitive activities in glioma patients while recording the brain activity in patients undergoing awake-brain tumour surgery.