Scientists at UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center have been busy looking for new ways to treat liver cancer, one of the most common types of cancer around the world.
They’ve found something interesting: a molecule called miR-22, which naturally exists in our bodies, could be a game-changer.
To test this, they used gene therapy on mice with liver cancer. Gene therapy is a way to correct or replace faulty genes in our cells. The team introduced miR-22 into the mice with a single, straightforward injection.
They compared the results to another group of mice that were given lenvatinib, a medicine currently approved by health authorities for treating liver cancer.
The outcomes were pretty remarkable: the mice treated with miR-22 not only lived longer but also seemed to have fewer liver issues compared to those treated with lenvatinib.
There were no harmful side effects in the mice treated with miR-22. Even more exciting, two of the mice lived up to 60 days, which is a big deal when it comes to treating liver cancer in mice.
What’s So Special About miR-22?
So, what is miR-22? In simple terms, miR-22 is like a brake system for your car, but for your cells. It stops the making of some proteins that help cancer grow.
The cool part? miR-22 is something our bodies naturally make, but it’s usually missing or low in people with liver cancer.
The scientists think that if they can boost levels of miR-22 in patients, they could make a real difference in treating the disease.
Another interesting angle is how our gut—yes, your stomach and intestines—may have a role in all this.
The leader of the study, Yu-Jui Yvonne Wan, has also looked at how substances made by good bacteria in our gut can help increase miR-22 in the liver.
This offers a whole new way of looking at how different parts of our body are connected and could work together to fight off diseases like cancer.
Why Does This Matter?
Liver cancer is a big problem, and it’s getting worse, partly because of rising obesity rates around the world. In the U.S. alone, about 25,000 men and 11,000 women are diagnosed with liver cancer every year.
It’s a cancer that’s hard to treat, especially in its late stages. Currently, we have medicines like lenvatinib, but they can have unpleasant side effects and don’t always work well.
Plus, let’s talk money. Treatment for liver cancer can be expensive, really expensive. Imagine if we could use something that naturally exists in our bodies as a treatment! It could potentially be a more affordable and effective option.
So, if the promising results in mice can be replicated in humans, we could be on the brink of a groundbreaking treatment for liver cancer.
The scientists have filed for a patent for their discovery, meaning they believe it has real-world applications and could potentially lead to a new medicine. But more studies are needed to be sure it’s both safe and effective for people.
In a nutshell, this study gives hope. The idea of using a naturally occurring molecule like miR-22 to not only treat but maybe even beat liver cancer is an exciting avenue to explore further.
As our understanding of the body grows, so does our ability to find smarter, better ways to tackle some of our most stubborn health problems.
If you care about liver health, please read studies about dairy foods linked to liver cancer, and coffee drinkers may halve their risk of liver cancer.
For more information about liver health, please see recent studies about new therapy for fatty liver disease, and results showing Mediterranean diet could cut fatty liver disease by half.
The study was published in Molecular Therapy.
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