Imagine a classic James Bond plot. The film starts with a series of explosions. Maybe people are killed, or valuables are stolen.
Who is behind these attacks is a mystery. But then suddenly a lugubrious character appears, and it turns out that it was this villain who was behind it all.
This is how a group of international researchers describe their latest discovery. They have found that genes, bits of DNA, can behave exactly like a villain from James Bond.
VILLAIN: The villain Goldfinger caused trouble for James Bond in the 1960s. Scientists believe newly discovered DNA behaves like a criminal genius. Photo: Danjaq/Eon/UA / The Kobal Collection.
– A turning point
But instead of blowing up, stealing and wreaking havoc, these villains ensure that cancer spreads in the body.
The case is discussed in The Guardian.
– The discovery of how these bits of DNA behave is a turning point, says Paul Mischel, professor at renowned Stanford University to the newspaper.
The researchers believe these villains are responsible for a large number of the most serious cancers affecting humans.
– But if we can block their activity, we can stop the spread of these cancers, explains Mischel.
Mysterious discoveries
The “Bond villains” have been named ecDNA. The small DNA molecules are located outside the chromosomes that control how cells grow and our body develops.
Thus, they can influence the cells’ development on their own.
In recent years, researchers have discovered several mysterious things in serious cancer cases.
Tumors have spread at an unexpectedly high rate, and cancer cells have suddenly become immune to medicine.
– Now we have finally found what is behind all this. It is ecDNA, says Stanford researcher Howard Chang to The Guardian.
TREATMENT: Chemotherapy is an important part of cancer treatment. Photo: Matt Rourke/AP.
In cases where doctors have treated tumors, the cancer genes have hidden in ecDNA. The genes are stored there until it is safe to return. When the treatment is finished, the ecDNA releases the cancer genes again.
– It can almost disappear completely from a tumor and then come back after you have stopped taking medication, says the English professor Charlie Swanton to The Guardian.
– Exciting
Stian Knappskog, professor and cancer researcher at the University of Bergen, is familiar with the new discovery.
– This is very exciting, he says to TV 2.
Stian Knappskog. Photo: Melanie Burford/UiB.
Knappskog compares the way the cancer genes are “guarded” by ecDNA with Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution.
Treatment, such as chemotherapy, creates an unfavorable environment for the cancer cells. Only the most adaptable cells survive the treatment.
– These pieces of DNA that have been discovered give the cancer cells a greater degree of flexibility. Greater adaptability, quite simply, explains Knappskog.
Confident of victory
The researchers now believe that the discovery could drastically change cancer treatment.
Now that they’ve found out what these ‘Bond villains’ are capable of, they believe they can find a way to stop them.
– Now that we have found the cause of the problem, it will be possible to develop and test many different medicines and treatments to deal with it, says cancer researcher Mariam Jamal-Hanjani.
The researchers want to find ecDNA’s Achilles heel and put an end to the evil it causes.
– In the next few years, we will try out a lot, until we find the best way to combat ecDNA and stop the cancer-causing activity. It will take time, but I am confident that we will get there, says Stanford researcher Howard Chang.
Knappskog is also positive, but emphasizes that we do not have a miracle cure yet.
– I am optimistic that this can be used for treatment purposes. There will of course be some types of cancer where this will not work, but if it works in some, this is very good news, he says.
