Researchers Discover Compound that Fights Leukemia, Lymphoma
Published:19 Feb.2024 Source:University of Texas at El Paso
Researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso have identified a novel pharmaceutical compound that successfully kills leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells, potentially paving the way for new forms of therapy.
Leukemia is a cancer of the blood cells while lymphoma is a cancer of the immune system. As part of their research into potential treatment of these cancers, Aguilera's lab screened drug compounds to determine their impact on various cancer cell types. The UTEP team tested 1,300 different compounds on cultures of human cancer cells. Thiophene F-8 was very successful at inducing programmed cell death in the leukemia and lymphoma cells, essentially sending a message to the cells causing them to kill themselves and inhibiting the growth of new cancer cells.
The compound's potential to work in conjunction with existing therapies could be life-changing for leukemia and lymphoma patients. The UTEP team will continue studying the effectiveness of Thiophene F-8. If the drug is successful in further testing, Aguilera said, pharmaceutical companies may one day launch clinical studies to determine the compound's effect on patients.