Imagine if we didn’t have to destroy cancer cells to stop cancer—but could turn them back into healthy cells instead. That’s exactly what a team of scientists in South Korea has done in a groundbreaking new study.
Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have found a way to “flip the switch” on colon cancer cells and make them behave like normal, healthy cells again. And if this works in humans the way it has in early tests, it could totally change how we treat cancer in the future.
What’s the Usual Way to Treat Cancer?
Most cancer treatments today—like chemotherapy or radiation—work by attacking cancer cells and trying to kill them. These methods can be effective, but they often come with some tough side effects because healthy cells also get damaged in the process.
It's like using a sledgehammer to kill a bug—you might get the bug, but you’ll probably break the table too.
What Did the Researchers Do Differently?
The KAIST team decided to take a smarter, gentler route. They studied how healthy cells grow and develop, especially the ones lining the intestines. Using a digital model (kind of like a virtual lab), they looked for specific molecules that control how cells turn into their proper types. These key molecules are called “master regulators” because they help guide the cell’s behavior.
In colon cancer cells, the researchers identified three major master regulators: MYB, HDAC2, and FOXA2. When they turned off these regulators, something amazing happened—the cancer cells started acting like normal cells again.
No need to destroy anything. Just a few genetic switches, and the threat was gone.
How Did They Test It?
The team didn’t stop at just computer models. They confirmed their findings through lab experiments and even tested the method in mice. In all cases, they saw the same promising results: cancer cells reverting back to healthy cells.
“This is an astonishing discovery,” said lead researcher Professor Kwang-Hyun Cho. “It shows that cancer cells can be brought back to normal in a controlled and predictable way.”
Could This Work for Other Cancers Too?
Yes, and that’s the really exciting part. The researchers also used their modeling system to study brain cells in mice. They found similar “master regulators” in the hippocampus, the part of the brain involved in memory. This means the method could eventually help with brain cancers and maybe even other types of cancer.
In short, the study opens the door to a reversible form of cancer treatment—something scientists have dreamed about for years.
What’s Next?
There’s still more work to do before this becomes a treatment for people. But the idea that cancer doesn’t have to be destroyed—that it might be retrained—is a game-changer.
If future studies continue to show success, this could become a whole new way of thinking about cancer care: not with destruction, but with transformation.
Source:
https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/advs.202402132
https://news.kaist.ac.kr/newsen/html/news/?mode=V&mng_no=42710#:~:text=…
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