A team of researchers from the Dublin-based Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) carried out a comprehensive study of cancer cells, which shows how cancer cells react to chemotherapy. This new knowledge will move forward the development of increasingly effective cancer treatments and could go some way to reducing relapse.

The APO-SYS ('Apoptosis systems biology applied to cancer and AIDS') project received a funding boost of €11 million under the 'Health' Theme of the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). The team carried out a comprehensive study of cancer cells and they explain how their findings show that chemotherapy resistance occurs due to metabolism differences between cancer cells and normal human cells.

Although previous studies have shown that the process of glycolysis, process for which cancer cells can also produce energy by using glucose, can effectively bring cancer cells being targeted by chemotherapy 'back to life', the Irish team has now found that glycolysis also helps to restore mitochondrial function, meaning that cancer cells may continue to function following the treatment. When cancer cells are exposed to elevated glucose levels, mitochondrial function can be restored and osmotic homeostasis can be maintained, which contributes to resistance to chemotherapy. Therefore, the team has found that in order for cancer treatments to be effective, they must target the cancer cell's ability to produce energy by using glucose within its fluids as well as destroying the mitochondria.

The researchers hope its study will lead to further discoveries in cancer treatment. Understanding the mechanistic details of how cancer cells are able to resist chemotherapy can provide strategies to increase treatment efficiency and reduce clinical relapse.