MEK and BET Inhibitors to Improve the Cancer Treatment Parameters at High Rate

Release Date: 26-Nov-2020

MYCN is an oncogene that is found to be regulating growth, proliferation as well as survival of the cancer cells. Research study indicated that the increased expression of the MYCN gene in the human body leads to the development of more aggressive type of cancer. The most preferable site for the MYCN gene is neuroendocrine tumors as well as the prostate and ovaries. As per the research conducted, it is estimated that the researchers at the current time only have one particular treatment for the patients suffering from TNBC i.e. cytotoxic chemotherapy. The chemotherapy schedule in the respective treatment involves killing of cancer cells, and some of the side effects such as fatigue, hair loss and digestive complications.

Researchers across the globe are focused towards the development of the treatment for the patients suffering from TNBC. Several in vivo and in vitro studies have been conducted for evaluating the mechanism of TNBC growth. Researchers used cell line and patient-derived mouse models for evaluating the efficacy of two most potent drug classes i.e. BET inhibitors and MEK inhibitors. Studies have represented that BET inhibitors are carrying the potential to regulate the transcription of MYCN, whereas MEK inhibitors regulate the stability of proteins in the MYC family by the inhibition of the MAPK pathway. It was concluded by the researchers that TNBC cells having higher expression of MYCN were more sensitive towards BET inhibitors and the cells with low expression of MYCN were more sensitive towards MEK inhibitors. Altogether, the inhibitors were able to decrease the growth of the cancer cells.

The researchers that were inclined towards the respective clinical study proposed that this type of combination treatment could be further evaluated for more beneficial outcomes for cancer patients. It is believed that the emergence of the therapy in the market will lead to decline in the cancer mortality rate as well as high demand of the cancer patients for having efficient therapy in the market.

As well as further evaluation of MYCN gene expression as a marker that could indicate which tumors are more responsive to those drugs, are important next steps in research.