Study finds 1 in 5 cancer samples carry ecDNA
Technology
Researchers have found that about one in five cancer samples carry extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA), which lets these cells quickly change and outsmart chemotherapy.
Instead of following normal genetic rules, cancer cells use ecDNA to keep mutating and survive treatments that should stop them.
Paul Mischel targets ecDNA anchor proteins
The team, led by Stanford's Paul Mischel, is now looking at ways to block the anchor proteins that help ecDNA do its job, potentially opening up new ways to fight tough cancers.
But experts like Lillian Siu remind us there is still more to learn, since other factors like unstable genomes also make cancer tricky to treat.