Daijiworld Media Network - Jerusalem

Jerusalem, Dec 31: An international team of researchers has developed a novel method to tackle cancers that develop resistance to treatment by targeting the genetic mutations that allow tumours to evade therapy. The breakthrough study was led by scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel and has been published in the journal Cancer Discovery.

Treatment resistance remains one of the biggest challenges in cancer care. While many cancers, especially metastatic ones, initially respond to hormone therapy, chemotherapy or targeted drugs, they often adapt over time through mutations, making these treatments ineffective.

Instead of trying to block the cancer’s progression, the researchers focused on the mutations that arise once tumours become resistant. They discovered that such mutations leave specific molecular “fingerprints” on cancer cells. To detect these patterns, the team developed an advanced computer tool called SpotNeoMet, which analyses tumour genetic data to identify resistance-related mutations shared across multiple patients.

These mutations produce small protein fragments known as neo-antigens. As neo-antigens are found only in cancer cells and not in healthy tissue, they present ideal targets for the immune system.

The researchers aim to use these shared neo-antigens to develop new immunotherapies that help the body’s immune system recognise and destroy cancer cells while sparing normal cells. The approach was tested on metastatic prostate cancer, a disease in which most patients eventually stop responding to standard treatments.

Using SpotNeoMet, the team identified three drug-resistance-related neo-antigens common to different patients. Laboratory and animal studies showed that these neo-antigens triggered immune responses that specifically attacked cancer cells.

The findings mark a shift away from highly personalised cancer treatments, which are often expensive and time-consuming to develop. Instead, the new strategy targets resistance mutations common to many patients, potentially benefiting larger groups affected by hard-to-treat cancers.

Researchers believe the approach could be adapted to other cancers that develop resistance to therapy. While further studies and clinical trials are needed before it can be used in patients, experts say the discovery represents a major step towards more effective and broadly applicable cancer treatments.