Singapore Scientists Identify Lung Cancer Stem Cells

By Tengku Noor Shamsiah Tengku Abdullah SINGAPORE, Jan 6 (Bernama) -- Singapore scientists have identified a gene responsible for lung cancer, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) said. It said the finding, reported in the advanced online issue of Cell on Jan 5, is a huge step towards finding a cure for the disease. The team is headed by Dr Bing Lim, associate director of Cancer Stem Cell Biology at the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), a research institute under the umbrella of A*STAR, and Dr Elaine Lim, a medical oncologist affiliated with Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) and National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS). A small number of cells, known as cancer stem cells or tumour-initiating cells (TIC), are responsible for the promotion of tumour growth. Dr Bing Lim’s team was successful in finding a marker, known as CD166, to identify these cells. With the finding of this marker, the team then made more inroads into the genomic study of the TICs, and discovered several genes that were important for the growth of cancer cells. GIS acting executive director Dr Huck Hui Ng said this research is exemplary of the synergy between cancer researchers and clinicians that led to a breakthrough in their understanding of the metabolic pathway in lung cancer. He said the discovery of the biomarker has profound implications in cancer diagnostics and stratified medicine. "It is hopeful that the metabolic enzyme GLDC will be a good target for drug development by the pharmaceutical industries." Dr John Wong, Vice Provost (Academic Medicine) of the National University of Singapore, explained that “lung cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer deaths in Singapore and the region". He said there is an urgent need to better understand what drives this disease, especially as lung cancer in Asians appears to have major biological differences compared to that commonly seen in the West. -- BERNAMA Malaysia singapore scientists