Cancer ResearchCancer's Growth Protein MYC Found to Secretly Repair Chemo-Damaged DNA
Scientists at Oregon Health & Science University have discovered that MYC, a protein overactive in most human cancers, has a hidden role beyond driving tumor growth. It also rushes to sites of DNA damage and recruits repair proteins, helping cancer cells survive chemotherapy and radiation. This dual function may explain why some aggressive cancers — especially pancreatic cancer — resist treatment so effectively. The findings, published in Genes & Development, suggest that blocking MYC's DNA repair activity could make these hard-to-treat cancers significantly more vulnerable to existing therapies. Researchers are now investigating whether targeting this mechanism could improve outcomes for patients with cancers where MYC is highly active.
