A TEAM OF researchers working in Ireland have made discoveries which could prove key to the development of future treatments for lung cancer, according to the Irish Cancer Society.

The developments relate to two enzymes which control how lung tumours progress and grow. They could potentially lead to new treatments bringing lung cancer under control, the project’s leader has said.

Research was carried out at Dublin’s St James’s Hospital, using a ‘biobank’ of lung cancer samples from 204 patients in Ireland.

The results are being highlighted ahead of a meeting of lung cancer experts, the British Thoracic Oncology Group Annual Conference, which takes place in Dublin later this week.

Professor Ken O’Byrne, who led the study, said:

Our research has significantly improved our knowledge of the regulatory mechanisms that control the survival of tumour cells in the lungs and we are confident that it will lead to new therapies that target lung cancer and make it controllable in the future.

The Irish Cancer Society, which funded the research, has also hailed the development calling it an “important discovery”.

“Prof. O’Byrne’s research shows that discoveries being made here in Ireland can and hopefully will lead to improvements for lung cancer patients,” ICS head of research John Fitzpatrick said.

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