Elucidation of anti-tumor effect mechanism of statin in colorectal cancer and development of new treatment

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K10544
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Digestive surgery
• Research Institution: Kumamoto University
• Principal Investigator: ISHIKAWA Shinji 熊本大学, 医学部附属病院, 非常勤診療医師 (80419639)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 徳永 竜馬 熊本大学, 医学部附属病院, 非常勤診療医師 (20594881) ; 東 孝暁 熊本大学, 医学部附属病院, 非常勤診療医師 (70594878) ; 宮本 裕士 熊本大学, 医学部附属病院, 講師 (80551259) ; 林 洋光 熊本大学, 医学部附属病院, 診療講師 (80625773)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: スタチン / 大腸癌 / MEK/ERK / Akt/PKB / K-ras / BRAF

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The drug treatment for unresectable / recurrent colorectal cancer has shown therapeutic effects due to the development of many drugs, but it has been found that the effects of the drugs cannot be exhibited in colorectal cancer having a specific gene mutation. In our research, we confirmed that the colorectal cancer cells with the above gene mutation is effectively suppressed by using statins, which are anti-hyperlipidemic agents, in combination with a specific growth pathway inhibitor. Although each drug alone shows almost no tumor suppressive effect, the synergistic anti-tumor effect is exhibited by combined use. These results suggest that this combination therapy is a promising research outcome as a novel treatment with few side effects and high efficacy.

Free Research Field

消化器外科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

大腸癌は、肝臓や肺に転移があっても、切除することができれば根治出来る可能性が高い疾患である。よって、切除不能・再発大腸癌の根治は、薬物療法によって切除可能な状態にすることができるかにかかっている。現状の薬物療法の問題点は、副作用、費用、限定的な効果の3点である。我々はこの3点を念頭に研究を進め、相乗効果が得られる薬剤の組み合わせで、遺伝子変異を有する難治性の大腸癌治療法開発の可能性を示した。