Cancer cells are notorious for evading treatments like radiation. They create a low-oxygen environment that protects them and hinders our immune system. A new study, led by researchers Wenbin Lin and Ralph Weichselbaum, presents a novel approach for treating cancer using a compound that fights back by targeting the energy source of cancer cells. In a publication appearing in Chemical Science, researchers developed a molecule, BP/Hf12-Ir, that acts like a guided missile, delivering medicine directly to the energy factories inside cancer cells and disrupting their fuel supply.
This disruption reprograms cancer cells to make them much more vulnerable. When combined with radiation, this new approach shrank tumors by 95% and prevented their spread in mice. Adding immunotherapy further boosted the immune response, resulting in 98% tumor growth inhibition. This research contributes to a growing body of knowledge that may lead to improved cancer therapies in the future.