Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation

In two separate studies, Melissa R. Junttila, PhD (Damon Runyon Fellow ‘07-‘10) of University of California, San Francisco, and Monte Winslow, PhD (Damon Runyon Fellow ‘06-‘09) of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, reported the results of studies in animal models of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). They observed tumor progression in the absence of the tumor suppressor gene p53.  When p53 function was restored, advanced tumor cells were prevented from growing and spreading.  In contrast, restoring p53 did not have any effect on benign earlier-stage tumors.  The studies suggest that using drugs to activate p53 function may be effective at preventing growth of advanced tumors but will not likely prevent cancer initiation or progression.  These findings were published in the journal Nature.

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