A potential new medication called CADD522 may offer hope for those with primary bone cancer originating in the bones. This drug blocks the RUNX2 gene, which plays a key role in bone formation for cancer patients.
A study conducted on mice showed that CADD522 reduced tumor volume, increased survival, and alleviated cancer-induced bone disease without the need for surgery.
Researchers from various institutions, including the University of East Anglia, University of Sheffield, Newcastle University, Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham, and Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital, conducted the study published in the Journal of Bone Oncology.
Dr. Darrell Green, the lead researcher and a molecular biologist at the University of East Anglia, stated in an email to Fox News Digital that there have been no new treatments for bone cancer in 45 years, and if approved, CADD522 would be the first new drug in decades.
Dr. Susannah Cooper, a board-certified oncologist, and hematologist at Arizona Oncology, who was not involved in the study, reviewed the findings and stated that the results of the initial tests are encouraging.
Dr. Cooper acknowledged the promising results of CADD522 in reducing tumors and improving survival in cell cultures and animal models. However, she emphasized that more research is necessary before the drug can treat bone cancers.
Until now, the primary treatments for bone cancer have been high-dose chemotherapy and surgery, which can lead to significant side effects, and in some cases, amputation of the affected limb.
Green is hopeful that if his team obtains the necessary funding, they could have a clinical trial for patients up and running within two to three years.
Osteosarcoma, the most common type of bone cancer, primarily affects children and young adults, the Mayo Clinic states on its website.
The American Cancer Society estimates that about 3,970 new cases of bone cancer will be diagnosed in 2023.
Around 2,140 people are expected to die from the disease this year.
