1. Researchers have identified why cancer tumours resist drugs
designed to 'starve' tumours
For immediate release: 10/08/16
• Research funded by UK charity Worldwide Cancer Research helps us to understand how
cancer cells resist common cancer drugs designed to ‘starve’ tumours
• The findings demonstrate how cancer cells detect glucose levels and have the ability to
survive with virtually no blood supply in the middle of a tumour mass.
• The data was published in Cancer Cell by researchers at the CNIO in Spain.
Scientists working at the CNIO institute in Spain have discovered why cancer cells may be resistant
to drugs designed to ‘starve’ tumours of the energy and blood supply which allow them to grow.
The research funded by UK charity Worldwide Cancer Research and published this week in the
journal Cancer Cell, identified one of the key biochemical mechanisms that allows cancer cells to
survive without glucose (an energy supply.)
The scientists discovered a group of proteins that detect whether or not glucose is present and act
as a ‘switch’. When food (glucose) is available, tumour cells use one biochemical path to survive
and continue to thrive; when there is no glucose, the switch triggers a different path to achieve the
same goal, and allow the tumour cells to survive.
Dr Nabil Djouder, researcher at the CNIO and lead author of the paper explained: "Tumour cells
are very smart; when one door that seemed essential for their growth and proliferation
closes, they open new ones that allow them to adapt to any stress and survive. This is why
they develop highly sophisticated mechanisms and learn to survive, and this is why it is so
difficult to cure cancer".
In recent years, researchers have been keen to find out why some tumours resist the widely-used
anti-angiogenic agents and whose effectiveness is based on their prevention of the growth of the
blood vessels that supply the tumour, thus starving the cancer cells of nutrients. This work
demonstrates how cancer cells survive under these conditions and in the centre of a tumour mass
where hardly any blood supply can reach them. These findings are far off any clinical application
at the moment, however they represent a key piece of knowledge in the fight against cancer.
Dr Lara Bennett, Science Communication Manager at Worldwide Cancer Research, said: “What Dr
Djouder and his team have identified is a key piece in the cancer puzzle, why tumours, even
hidden away and cut off from a supply of nutrients can continue to thrive.
The findings confirm what cancer researchers have known for a long time: cancer cells are
tough are they are clever. The next steps are to build on this knowledge so that patients can
see the benefits to their treatment in the future.”
Notes to editors:
Dr Lara Bennett, Science Communication Manager for Worldwide Cancer Research is available
for further comment or interview. Contact Lucy Keen, Communications Manager on
07885858533 or 01334 477 910 to arrange.
•The work was supported by a grant fromWorldwide Cancer Research, the leading UK charityfunding early stage cancer
research into any cancer type, anywhere in the world. The research was also supported by the Spanish Ministryof Economy
and Competitiveness. Research was carried out in the CentroNacionalde InvestigacionesOncológicas, Spain.
•Reference article: Regulation of OGT by URI in Response to Glucose Confers c-MYC-DependentSurvivalMechanisms. Stefan
Burén, Ana L. Gomes, Ana Teijeiro, Mohamad-Ali Fawal, Mahmut Yilmaz, Krishna S. Tummala, Manuel Perez, Manuel
Rodriguez-Justo, Ramón Campos-Olivas, Diego Megías y NabilDjouder. Cancer Cell(2016). DOI:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ccell.2016.06.023

2. •Worldwide Cancer Research has invested over £199million in research grantsto some of the world’s best scientists across
34 different countries. The charity, based in St Andrews, Scotland, has 167 active projectsacross 22 countries happening
now. www.worldwidecancerresearch.org