Molecular and pharmacological validation of Cathepsin S as a novel target in cancer treatment

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Malignant cancer is hallmarked by the ability of the tumour to invade its normal surrounding tissue thus permitting its development and spread, frequently to distal sites/organs. The development of these secondary tumours is normally the cause of mortality in the patient. This proposal aims to evaluate the potential for the therapeutic blocking of a destructive enzyme, cathepsin S, in the development and spread of aggressive tumours. Over-produced by tumour and tumour associated cells, the inhibition of this protease may in the future prove useful in combination with chemotherapeutic agents to not only kill the cancer cells but to prevent the spread and seeding of these secondary metastases.