Study points to new target for treating aggressive brain cancer

Glioblastoma is one of the most aggressive and lethal forms of brain cancer, often resistant to conventional treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy. Researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center–Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute have identified a potential new target for treating this devastating disease.

By focusing on a protein called SET, they discovered that suppressing it prevents tumor formation in preclinical models. This SET protein, along with others including ANP32A, CIP2A, and PP2A, plays a crucial role in allowing glioblastoma cells to evade treatment and survive. When these proteins were blocked in both laboratory and animal experiments, tumor cells became less able to survive and showed increased sensitivity to radiation.

The researchers believe that restoring PP2A activity could make glioblastoma cells more vulnerable to existing treatments, providing a promising avenue for future drug development. However, the findings are still preliminary and have not yet been tested in human patients. The team is now investigating the safety and efficacy of targeting these proteins with existing drugs, including an FDA-approved antipsychotic medication that can boost PP2A activity.

While the drug is not ready for immediate use in patients, these results represent a significant step forward in understanding how to make current glioblastoma therapies more effective.