University of Gothenburg researchers report breakthroughs in leukemia treatment and chemotherapy side effects

Researchers at the University of Gothenburg, in collaboration with a university in Cleveland, USA, have developed a new treatment that successfully cured mice of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The method uses a combination of molecules to stress cancer cells by keeping them active while simultaneously cutting off their energy supply. Lead researcher Leif Eriksson noted that the treatment appears to eliminate even resistant leukemia cells and could potentially be tested on humans within five years, provided funding of 50 to 100 million SEK is secured.

In a separate study published in Science, researchers at the Sahlgrenska Cancer Research Center investigated the side effects of platinum-based chemotherapy in children. Using Nanoseq DNA sequencing, the team found that these drugs can cause as many DNA changes in healthy cells in a short period as would normally occur over several decades. These changes, which may increase the risk of secondary cancers, were observed across various tissues. The study also identified a specific pattern of DNA damage in the liver, which researchers suggest may contribute to long-term liver damage as the drugs are metabolized.