South Korean Researchers Identify Fungus that May Prevent Metastasis in Mesothelioma and Other Cancers
Researchers in South Korea reported this week that they have identified a soil fungus that can inhibit the spread or metastasis of cancer. While many cancers have a point of origin, such as pleural mesothelioma that originates in the lining of the lungs, cancerous cells can travel through the blood or lymphatic system spreading the cancer throughout the body making treatment difficult.
The team, led by Ahn Jong-seog, a senior researcher at the state-run Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, isolated the “Fusarisetin A” fungal metabolite and found that it is “non-toxic to ordinary cells and hinders the spread of cancer.”
Stopping tumor growth and preventing metastasis in cancers, especially mesothelioma which is highly aggressive and is resistant to many standard cancer treatments, is critical for increasing survival in patients.
Ahn Jong-seog said with more research, Fusarisetin may be developed as a viable anti-cancer drug and could be used to determine why cancerous growth spreads in the body.
The findings were published in this month’s issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
