Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive and deadly cancers.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive and deadly cancers. Following diagnosis, patients have an average survival of less than 6 months; sadly around 10,000 patients in the UK per year die from this type of cancer.
Researchers from the University of Bath have made three new molecules similar to Grandifloracin, a chemical found in the tropical plant Uvaria grandiflora, which grows in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.
Their study, which was done in collaboration with Professor Suresh Awale from the University of Toyama, Japan, shows that all three molecules kill pancreatic cancer cells in a petri dish. Two of these killed the cells more effectively than the original Grandifloracin molecule.
Since pancreatic cancer causes few symptoms, many patients don’t realise they are affected until it has already spread to other organs. Pancreatic cancer is also very difficult to treat as the tumours have resistance to many anti-cancer drugs – so these molecules could become a valuable tool in combating the condition.
Read more at University of Bath
