Thousands of weaknesses known as âAchilles heelsâ have been identified in more than 700 different cancer cell types by researchers at Queenâs University Belfast.
The discovery of the âcancer vulnerabilitiesâ, using DNA technology and computer analysis of large volumes of genetic data, could lead to new ways to stop cancer cells in their tracks.
This could be done by using existing drugs as well as generating potentially new targets for drug development through enhanced âprecision oncologyâ, they say.
These drugs could even be used to combat cancers that are resistant to the current standard treatments, according to the researchers, whose findings have been published in the journal Nucleic Acids Research.