A novel approach to cancer chemotherapy

A novel approach to cancer chemotherapy

Richard F. Ludueña, Professor Emeritus at the University of Texas Health San Antonio, discusses his innovative approach to cancer chemotherapy, which could significantly enhance its effectiveness. The fundamental limitation to cancer chemotherapy is that cancer cells are our own cells misbehaving. Chemotherapy targets a protein or process that the cancer requires to survive and grow, but normal cells require the same protein or process to survive and grow, limiting chemotherapy’s effectiveness. Also, cancer cells can mutate to become resistant. I propose a two-targeted approach that should harm only cells that require both targets. Most cancer cells fulfill these criteria, but most normal cells do not.