Scientists have identified a family of genes responsible for the growth of gliomas, a spectrum of hard-to-treat brain tumors, while the invention of the therapeutics or drugs targeting these tumors will be the next step.

Leveraging a cutting-edge method of rapid modeling, researchers modeled high-grade brain tumors from resident stem cells inside the brain. The method used can create up to five distinct tumor models within 45 minutes. After modeling, the Ets family of genes was identified to be contributing to tumors. By controlling expression of genes necessary for tumor growth, the Ets factors regulate the behavior of tumor cells. Thus, researchers can identify and strategize new therapies by blocking the expression of the Ets genes.

Joshua Breunig, a lead author and research scientist in the Brain Program at the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute in the U.S., said, “With these new genetic findings, our group of researchers plan to develop targeted therapeutics that we hope will one day be used to treat patients with high-grade brain tumours and increase their survival.”

Moise Danielpour, director of the Paediatric Neurosurgery Program and the Centre for Pediatric Neurosciences in the Maxine Dunitz Children’s Health Centre, said, “Any given tumour can harbor a variety of different combinations of mutations.”

“Despite advances in radiation and chemotherapy, there are currently no effective curative regimens for treatment for these diverse tumors,” he added.

-Sumana