Researchers at Florida A&M University tested experimental compounds called PCAIs against pancreatic cancer cells carrying KRAS mutations — the most common and hard-to-treat driver of this deadly cancer. Rather than silencing cancer signaling pathways, these compounds did the opposite: they pushed key growth pathways into overdrive until cells became overwhelmed and self-destructed. One leading compound, NSL-YHJ-2-27, blocked more than 90% of cancer cell movement at very low concentrations. The cells also showed signs of programmed cell death, including elevated reactive oxygen species and activated death proteins. These findings suggest a novel strategy for targeting cancers that have resisted conventional therapies.
