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Scientists in Singapore have uncovered two new ways for drug companies to tackle aggressive forms of cancer.

One method is to destroy an enzyme known as EZH2, which is responsible for an aggressive form of breast cancer. The other is to make use of antibodies to suppress cancer growth. Neither idea has been explored before.

These findings were recently published separately in two scientific journals.

The first, on EZH2, stemmed from the discovery by a team of scientists from the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) and the National University of Singapore (NUS), who found that the enzyme is more dangerous than previously thought.

EZH2 has long been known to impair the body's natural ability to stop cancer tumors from growing. But the scientists discovered that it also promotes cancer formation - creating a double whammy for the body.

The GIS is an institute under the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star), which funded the two-year research.

The other team, from A*Star's Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, found that antibodies can actually bind to a protein within cancer cells that is the root cause of the rapid spread of cancer from one part of the body to another. The protein, called PRL-3 oncoprotein, is involved in many types of aggressive cancers.

Previously, it was thought that antibodies could not be used to target such proteins within cancer cells, as they are too big to cross the cell membranes.

Both discoveries are set to pave the way for new forms of cancer therapy. For example, instead of trying to come up with ways to inhibit the activity of EZH2, drug companies can perhaps search for a way to destroy it completely.

Pharmaceutical companies have been trying for many years to come up with a drug that inhibits the enzyme activity of EZH2.

This is based on the knowledge that when the enzyme is in an active state, it reacts with tumor suppressors, so they can no longer stop tumor growth.

So far, efforts to come up with a drug for this type of cancer have not been successful - and it could be due to the previously unknown property of the enzyme, said Yu Qiang, the lead investigator.

The lead investigator for the other study, Zeng Qi, said the knowledge that antibodies can help suppress cancer could spark a new era of tailor-made cancer vaccines.

So far, cancer vaccines are rare. There is one for cervical cancer and another for hepatitis B, which can cause liver cancer.

"I hope that our research will pave the way for cancer vaccination to become a mainstream cancer treatment that is both effective and affordable for cancer patients," said Zeng.

Reprinted courtesy of Straits Times Indonesia. To subscribe to Straits Times Indonesia and/or the Jakarta Globe call 021 2553 5055.