Key findings in cancer study announced

This article was published by the Taiwan Headlines on October 4, 2006. It reports that Taiwanese cancer researchers recently made a significant breakthrough with the discovery of the overproduction of a certain protein that might be the main cause of malignant tumor growth in the lungs.

"In our study, we discovered that approximately 95 percent of lung cancer patients have an overproduction of the p48EN01 protein," scientists at the National Health Research Institute's Cancer Research Division said. "By reducing or slowing down the production of the protein, we could lower the chance of cancer cells migrating to other parts of the body."

Specifically, by turning the protein into an antigen, the antigen could potentially control the growth of cancer tumors by strengthening the immune system against cancer cells and preventing the formation of new malignant cells.

According to the scientists, the amount of p48EN01 protein in a person's body could also be used as an index for early detection and treatment of lung cancer.

But so far the method has only been proven effective during the early stages of cancer. Scientists at the National Health Research Institute have been working together with the research team of Taipei Veterans General Hospital. In their five-year study of 80 lung cancer cases, 76 of them showed excessive levels of p48EN01 protein.

According to the scientists, the protein helps the body to turn glucose into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a nucleotide that is responsible for carrying energy to cells in the body. However, if healthy cells are deprived of oxygen for a long time, they could become cancerous.

"After a period of oxygen deprivation, the cells will try to repair themselves by producing extra ATP, which results in an overproduction of p48EN01 protein, thus creating harmful cancer cells," the scientists explained.

According to the scientists, the same pattern has also been detected in breast cancer patients.

According to statistics provided by the Department of Health, in recent years, lung cancer has risen to be one of the leading causes of death in Taiwan, claiming over 6,000 lives each year.