Combination therapy reveals potential vulnerability in aggressive osteosarcoma

Scientists from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have discovered a potential weakness in certain aggressive forms of osteosarcoma, a pediatric bone cancer. In a study published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, researchers found that a combination therapy involving degradation of a protein called EP300 and inhibition of AKT, a well-known cancer drug target, slowed tumor growth and increased survival in preclinical models.

This combination approach highlights the disease's clinical potential, as osteosarcoma has lower survival rates compared to many other cancers and has not seen major therapeutic improvements in the last 40 years. The study also suggests that certain mutations in osteosarcoma tumors may serve as biomarkers for sensitivity to the combination therapy.