Deadly bone cancers that mainly affect kids could be treated with new drug

By Mark Waghorn via SWNS

Deadly bone cancers that mainly affect children could be treated with a new drug.

Experiments on cells and mice identified a protein that destroys osteosarcomas, scientists said.

They say it could lead to a cure for all types of skeletal tumors.

Osteosarcoma seems to cause rapid bone growth. This is because it most often occurs around the age when adolescents' bodies go through a spurt.

It is also slightly more common in boys than girls, believed to be due to them being taller on average.

The disease claims hundreds of lives a year in the UK.

The molecule, called Spp24, blocks the proliferation and invasiveness of tumor cells - promoting their apoptosis or death.

It works by binding to another chemical known as BMP-2 that fuels its spread.

Corresponding author Dr. Haijun Tian, of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, said: "Spp24 and its enzyme products have a number of effects on bone metabolism that have been elucidated to various degrees.

"They have the potential to be engineered into bone therapeutics, and this anti-tumor effect is only one such example.

Osteosarcoma is an aggressive malignancy. The highest incidence occurs during the second decade of life.

Surgery and chemotherapy are the main treatments for OS.

Patients have a 55 percent chance of survival, but rates have not improved in twenty years, especially once the disease has spread.

Furthermore, complete surgical excision is frequently not possible. There is a great need for more effective therapies.

Dr. Tian said: "We have shown that Spp24 can bind to BMP‐2 and inhibit its function in tumor cells, both in vitro and in vivo.

"Cell proliferation, migration and invasiveness were all inhibited by Spp24. Treatment with Spp24 reduced tumor growth.

"These results confirm the potential of Spp24 as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of osteosarcoma and other skeletal tumors."

He added: "Like many other bone matrix proteins, the more we look into the function of Spp24, the more surprising roles we find even though the primary function of Spp24 remains uncertain."

The study was published in the Journal of Orthopaedic Research.