Scientists used data mining by testing 28 genes on 12 strains of chemoresistant cancer cell lines and found that 4 significant genes were responsible then proceeded to further investigate and test. NEK2 and INHBA are two newly found genes that are responsible for causing resistance in chemotherapy for head and neck cancer patients. When these two genes (NEK2 and INHBA) are silenced, the previously resistant cancer cells are then able to respond to the chemotherapy. Sirodesmin A and Carfilzomib are two substances that are shown to target these genes and make them more receptive to chemotherapy. Sirodesmin A is a fungal toxin, and Carfilzomib comes from a form of bacteria.
By silencing chemoresistant cancer cells, chemotherapy is more effective and allows for the cancer cells to respond. Finding the causes of chemotherapy resistance may be the start of finding better treatment options, or even cures, for cancer itself. While this study only focuses on the treatment of cancers in the head and neck, there may be other studies that find chemoresistant cancer cells in other forms of cancer. In future studies, it may even be found that there are more chemoresistant cancer cells, and maybe by finding substances to silence these cells, there will also be an increase in the effectivity that chemotherapy has on cancer patients as a whole.
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