NUS researchers revisit potent drug as promising treatment for acute leukaemia

A team of researchers from the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore at the National University of Singapore has breathed new life into an existing drug — combatting a type of blood cancer called T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, or T-ALL. The drug, called PIK-75, was initially discovered over a decade ago but was dismissed in favour of newer ones. Now, it has made a comeback that deems it unmissable — the researchers established that the drug could block not just one but two crucial cancer-causing pathways of T-ALL, enabling them to develop new treatments that could effectively stem the disease.

Scientists discover genes that affect the risk of developing pre-leukaemia

The discovery of 14 inherited genetic changes which significantly increase the risk of a person developing a symptomless blood disorder associated with the onset of some types of cancer and heart disease is published today in Nature Genetics. The finding, made in one of the largest studies of its kind through genetic data analysis on 421,738 people, could pave the way for potential new approaches for the prevention and early detection of cancers including leukaemia.

Study provides new understanding of mitochondria genome with potential for new avenues of treatment for multiple cancers

A study led by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center furthered understanding about mitochondria, the cell components known as the “powerhouse of the cell.” Knowing more about the genome is crucial given that mitochondria play important roles in tumorigenesis.