Overcoming resistance to cancer treatment

  Chemotherapypr
25 May 2011 02:00:00.000

PA 171/11

A pioneering expert in Medical Oncology at The University of Nottingham is to carry out a year-long study to find out why breast cancer treatments may stop working in some patients.

Dr Madhusudan, in the School of Molecular Medical Sciences, has discovered inhibitors to a protein called APE1 that repairs the cells damaged by chemotherapy and radiotherapy.  With funding from Breast Cancer Campaign he will now look specifically at ways to overcome resistance to breast cancer treatment.

Chemotherapy and radiotherapy normally destroys cancer cells but APE1 can repair the damaged DNA increasing the risk of the disease returning. The year-long study could help future patients in whom chemotherapy and radiotherapy does not work.

Click here for full story
Dr Madhusudan, who was recently awarded the prestigious Goulstonian Lecturership by the Royal College of Physicians for his outstanding academic achievements, said: “Having discovered compounds that block APE1 activity, I will now begin the exciting process of testing it in the laboratory in cancer cells. I’m keen to find out whether APE1 inhibitors can make chemotherapy drugs and radiotherapy treatments more toxic and effective at killing breast cancer cells.”

The School of Molecular Medical Science is part of the world’s first breast cancer tissue bank, funded by Breast Cancer Campaign and made up of a coalition of centres across the UK. This extremely important multi-million pound resource allows access to tissue samples to researchers working to improve our understanding and knowledge of breast cancer and its treatment.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK and accounts for nearly one in three of all cancers in women. In the UK, around 48,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year — that’s 130 a day.

Breast Cancer Campaign aims to beat breast cancer by funding innovative world-class research to understand how breast cancer develops, leading to improved diagnosis, treatment, prevention and cure. The charity currently funds 97 projects worth almost £16.7m in 31 locations across the UK and Ireland.

Dr Lisa Wilde, Director of Research, Breast Cancer Campaign said, “Despite enormous progress, too many people still die from breast cancer. Dr Madhusudan’s pioneering research could change this by helping develop a new way to make radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatments more effective.”

— Ends —

Notes to editors

For more information about Breast Cancer Campaign visit breastcancercampaign.org follow them at twitter.com/bccampaign. To find out about the Breast Cancer Campaign Tissue Bank go to: breastcancertissuebank.org 

The University of Nottingham, described by The Sunday Times University Guide 2011 as ‘the embodiment of the modern international university’, has award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia. It is ranked in the UK's Top 10 and the World's Top 75 universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong (SJTU) and the QS World University Rankings. It was named ‘Europe’s greenest university’ in the UI GreenMetric World University Ranking, a league table of the world’s most environmentally-friendly higher education institutions, which ranked Nottingham second in the world overall.

The University is committed to providing a truly international education for its 40,000 students, producing world-leading research and benefiting the communities around its campuses in the UK and Asia.

More than 90 per cent of research at The University of Nottingham is of international quality, according to the most recent Research Assessment Exercise, with almost 60 per cent of all research defined as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. Research Fortnight analysis of RAE 2008 ranked the University 7th in the UK by research power. The University’s vision is to be recognised around the world for its signature contributions, especially in global food security, energy & sustainability, and health.

More news from the University at: www.nottingham.ac.uk/news

Story credits

More information is available from Dr Srinivasan Madhusudan on +44 (0)115 823 1850, srinivasan.madhusudan@nottingham.ac.uk; or Claire Learner, Media Relations Officer, Breast Cancer Campaign, +44 (0)20 7749 3705, clearner@breastcancercampaign.org
Lindsay Brooke

Lindsay Brooke - Media Relations Manager

Email: lindsay.brooke@nottingham.ac.uk Phone: +44 (0)115 951 5751 Location: University Park

Additional resources

No additional resources for this article

Related articles

Scientists bring cancer cells back under control

Published Date
Thursday 13th January 2011

Harmless soil-dwelling bacteria successfully kill cancer

Published Date
Monday 5th September 2011

What is it really like living with breast cancer?

Published Date
Thursday 27th January 2011

Nottingham site of world's first breast cancer tissue bank

Published Date
Monday 21st March 2011

Clinical Oncology team win national award

Published Date
Tuesday 14th May 2013

'Junk DNA' could spotlight breast and bowel cancer

Published Date
Tuesday 5th January 2010

New technique could improve the outcome of breast cancer surgery

Published Date
Tuesday 30th September 2014

Breast cancer expert in world top 20

Published Date
Friday 8th October 2010

University scientist wins major cancer research award

Published Date
Friday 15th July 2011

Vital funding for ovarian cancer research

Published Date
Monday 27th January 2014

TARDIS trial seeks new dimension in stroke treatment

Published Date
Monday 17th October 2011

Media Relations - External Relations

The University of Nottingham
YANG Fujia Building
Jubilee Campus
Wollaton Road
Nottingham, NG8 1BB

telephone: +44 (0) 115 951 5798
email: pressoffice@nottingham.ac.uk