Scientists uncover a deadly 'addiction' in esophageal cancer

Scientists have discovered a new way of attacking esophageal cancer cells that could make use of an existing drug in a new approach to treatment.

Their study discovered a genetic weakness or ‘Achilles’ heel’ in esophageal cancer cells that makes them particularly sensitive to cancer drug ibrutinib which is already used to treat blood cancer.

A team at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, demonstrated that oesophageal cancer cells with a cancer-causing mutation in a gene called MYC become dependent upon or ‘addicted’ to a second gene, BTK.