UK Scientists discovered why a treatment for ovarian cancer only works in half the patients.

The drug paclitaxel inhibits ovarian tumors, but researchers at the University of Cambridge found that patients who have a deficit in a specific type of protein tend to be immune to its effects.

The Cancer Research UK-which sponsored the study along with the Medical Research Council said that this finding will help that drugs be provided to those who can benefit from it.

Paclitaxel belongs to the family of drugs called taxanes, taken from yew, a tree of the family of Taxáceas.

Researchers at the Research Institute of Cambridge examined cancer cells from 20 patients.

They found that those who did not respond to paclitaxel had low levels of a protein called TGFBI in samples taken before treatment.

The analysis further revealed that the rate of destruction of cancer cells was higher after treatment in people with high levels of TGFBI.

Personalized Medicine

The leader of the research, Dr. James Brenton, said: "TGFBI not found in one third of cases of primary ovarian cancer and it is possible that this protein can be used as a biological marker for selecting patients likely to respond to this class of drugs."

This approach means that personalized medicine will be more effective treatments with fewer contraindications
Herbie Newell, of Cancer Research UK

"Our findings offer hope not only to improve the treatment of ovarian cancer, may also help to improve the success rate of other taxane used against lung cancer and breast cancer."

Dr. Ahmed Ashour Ahmed, who also participated in the study, said: "Our work reveals that some proteins surrounding cancer cells, as TGFBI send messages to microtubules, the backbone of the cell, sensitizing to paclitaxel."

"Deciphering the code under which these messages are sent enable the discovery of new treatments that simulate the messages in code, leading to a significant improvement in reaction to paclitaxel," he added.

Professor Herbie Newell, of Cancer Research UK, said: "This approach means that personalized medicine will be more effective treatments with fewer contraindications."