GLASGOW scientists have made a major breakthrough in the treatment of cancer, which could be more effective than chemotherapy.

The method trialled at the University of Glasgow led to the "complete eradication" of tumours by activiting the immune system to kill rogue cells which have evaded treatment.

Currently most anti-cancer treatments including chemotherapy, radiation and immunotherapy work by killing cancer cells through a process called apoptosis, which activates proteins called caspases, leading to cell death. 

However, in apoptosis, experts say therapies often fail to kill all cancer cells, leading to disease recurrence, and can also have unwanted side effects that may even promote cancer.

The scientists wanted to develop a way to improve therapy that induces cancer cell killing while also mitigating unwanted toxicity.

Unlike apoptosis, which is a silent form of cell death, when cancer cells die through Caspase-Independent Cell Death (CICD) they alert the immune system through the release of inflammatory proteins.

The immune system can then attack the remaining tumour cells that evaded initial therapy.

The researchers used lab-grown colorectal cancer cells to show the advantage of killing cancer cells via CICD, however, these benefits may be applicable to a wide-range of cancer types.

Dr Stephen Tait, Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Institute of Cancer Sciences, said: "Our data suggests that triggering tumour-specific CICD, rather than apoptosis, may be a more effective way to treat cancer.

“In essence, this mechanism has the potential to dramatically improve the effectiveness of anti–cancer therapy and reduce unwanted toxicity.

"Taking into consideration our findings, we propose that engaging CICD as a means of anti-cancer therapy warrants further investigation.”

Dr Justine Alford, Cancer Research UK’s senior science information officer, said: “This new research suggests there could be a better way to kill cancer cells which, as an added bonus, also activates the immune system.

"Now scientists need to investigate this idea further and, if further studies confirm it is effective, develop ways to trigger this particular route of cell death in humans.”

The paper, ‘Mitochondrial permeabilization engages NF-kB-dependent anti-tumour activity under caspase deficiency,’ is published in Nature Cell Biology and was majority funded by Cancer Research UK.