New Therapeutic Method May Open Path to Reversing Cancer

Korean scientists claim to have developed technique to reprogram cancer cells to healthy state

- HEMANT KUMAR ROUT @Bhubaneswar

CANCER can be reversed. Yes, you heard it right. In a remarkable breakthrough, a team of scientists from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has developed a novel therapeutic approach to reverse cancer, offering new hope for millions of patients worldwide.

The scientists claimed the unique technique that promises to redefine cancer care could actually reverse cancer through reprogramming of malignant cells into a non-cancerous state by inducing re-expression of differentiation-associated genes in laboratory settings and animal models.

Unlike conventional therapies, which destroy cancer cells through surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation, the new method focuses on cellular reversion by transforming cancerous cells back into their original, normal, and healthy form.

According to a study published in the recent issue of the peer-reviewed international journal Advanced Science, the KAIST researchers led by Prof Kwang-Hyun Cho claimed to have developed the computational framework for single-cell Boolean network inference and control (BENEIN) that can identify master gene regulators and gradually replace cancerous cells.

The newly developed computational methodology not only halted uncontrolled growth of cancer cells but also reverted colorectal cancer cells into normal-like healthy intestinal cells called enterocytes by completely suppressing malignancy.

What sets BENEIN apart is that it doesn't rely on prior biological assumptions. The framework has been designed to be highly modular, and each module can be easily replaced with another up-to-date algorithm module, helping to simulate and control gene behavior. It learns from the data itself and can be adapted for other cell types and diseases.