Here’s what you need to know.
1. Cetuximab has three outcomes when used in treating bowel cancer; it works, it’s not effective or it becomes less effective over time. The drug works by blocking the epidermal growth factor receptor which promotes cell growth.
Some cells survived cetuximab because of an increase in activity from the protein ADAM17.
2. By introducing a drug that blocks ADAM17 and cetuximab at the same time the cancer cells died.
3. The findings excite the research, but more work is needed.
4. The researchers believe cetuximab will be able to delay or prevent bowel cancer from recurring.
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