IMPROVING RADIOIODINE TREATMENT OF THYROID AND OTHER TUMOURS

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A main treatment option for thyroid cancer, and a potential therapeutic strategy in breast and prostate cancer, is radioactive iodide, which is concentrated in the cell, and then kills cancer cells. One problem with this is that the protein NIS which helps cells take up the radioactive iodide is not as active in cancer cells as it is in normal cells. This means that the treatment is not as effective as it could be. We are aiming to change this. We have discovered that a protein called PBF drastically reduces the ability of NIS to function. We therefore want to explore how we can overcome this effect, particularly because thyroid cancers have high levels of PBF, and breast and prostate cancers can be engineered to express functional levels of NIS. If we can prevent PBF from reducing NIS activity, we may restore radioactive iodide uptake. This should directly improve therapy and outcome, particularly for the subset of patients who are currently very difficult to treat, and who have less than a 50% chance of surviving 5 years with thyroid cancer. Also, given that PBF is highly expressed in other cancers, changing the way that PBF affects NIS would have further potential in the treatment of breast and prostate cancers.