'Junk' DNA could lead to breakthrough in blood cancer treatment
Turns out, the parts of our DNA once called "junk" could actually help treat stubborn blood cancers.
Scientists at King's College London found that certain hidden DNA bits—called transposable elements—play a big role in diseases like myelodysplastic syndrome and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
By targeting these overlooked sections, researchers see new hope for tackling cancers that resist treatment.
PARP inhibitors can be used to treat blood cancers
The team discovered that when these "junk" DNA pieces get activated by common gene mutations, cancer cells become extra stressed and rely on a repair protein called PARP to survive.
Here's the twist: drugs known as PARP inhibitors (already used for other cancers) can wipe out these stressed cancer cells while leaving healthy ones alone.
This could mean faster progress toward better treatments using medicines we already have.