CHENNAI: The IIT-M and Sankara Nethralaya researchers have identified pathways by which diseased cells in retinoblastoma, a form of eye cancer, obtains energy for growth and survival, said a statement issued by the institute.
According to the statement, the research will help in ensuring better treatment for retinoblastoma that affects one in every 1,500 children across the world.
The research study has led to the identification of five more new drug targets that can be used for treating the eye cancer. The research will offer the potential for developing new and more effective drugs with minimal side-effects.
The published work is the first study to use Constraint-Based Modeling (CBM) to predict metabolic biomarkers for diagnosis of Retinoblastoma in Indian patients and to suggest novel drug targets for its treatment.Their work has recently been published in the Journal of Federation of European Biochemical Societies letters. Leading medical and genomics research organizations in India and the US have contributed to this research.
In India alone,1,500 new cases of Paediatric Retinoblastoma are reported daily, adding tremendously to the socio-economic burden of cancer care. Most common symptoms of this disease are appearance of a white dot in the retina and squint. As with most forms of cancer, the key to retinoblastoma management is early detection and treatment.