Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Jan 12: A team of Australian researchers has developed a novel targeted therapeutic approach that could significantly advance the treatment of myelofibrosis, a rare and life-threatening blood cancer for which no curative therapy currently exists.
Myelofibrosis interferes with the body’s normal blood-forming process, often causing chronic fatigue, bone pain, an enlarged spleen, and a marked decline in quality of life. Existing treatments mainly focus on easing symptoms rather than addressing the underlying cause of the disease.
The new research, published in the journal Blood, shifts attention from symptom management to the abnormal blood cells that drive the condition, using an immunotherapy-based strategy. By directly targeting these disease-causing cells, the approach aims to offer a more effective and precise form of treatment.
“Patients with myelofibrosis are typically given therapies that help control symptoms, but these treatments do not selectively eliminate the abnormal cells responsible for the disease,” said Professor Daniel Thomas, Director of the Blood Cancer Programme at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI). “Our findings indicate that by identifying what makes these cells distinct, we can potentially develop therapies that are more targeted and more effective. This represents a significant shift in how myelofibrosis and related disorders may be treated.”
Working with patient-derived cells, the research team identified two distinct molecular targets that could be used to selectively eliminate the harmful cells driving the disease. The study underscores the promise of precision immunology—an approach that harnesses the immune system to recognise and attack cancer cells while largely sparing healthy tissue.
The findings also suggest that myelofibrosis may exist in different biological forms, each potentially requiring a tailored therapeutic strategy rather than a one-size-fits-all treatment.
“The future of cancer therapy lies in understanding diseases at a molecular and immunological level and translating that knowledge into treatments that are powerful, durable, and highly precise,” said Angel Lopez, Head of Human Immunology at SA Pathology.
While the results are encouraging, researchers caution that additional studies and clinical development are necessary before the new approach can be tested in patients.