Scientists have discovered a mechanism that causes an aggressive type of lung cancer (small cell lung cancer) to re-grow following chemotherapy, offering hope for new therapies.

The study, conducted by an international team of researchers from Monash, Stanford and John Hopkins universities, represents not just the potential for new drugs, but a novel way of approaching cancer treatment.

Professor Neil Watkins, of the Monash Institute of Medical Research (MIMR) led the Monash research team of Dr Luciano Martelotto, MIMR, and Associate Professor Tracey Brown of the Department of Biochemisty and Molecular Biology.

Professor Watkins said while many current cancer treatments and trials focus on shrinking existing tumours, this research had a different focus.

“Some aggressive types of cancer respond very well to chemotherapy, but then the real challenge is to stop the tumour coming back. That’s what we investigated.”