Blood vessel-expanding enzymes ‘could aid pancreatic cancer therapies’

A newly isolated type of enzyme that can re-expand the insides of blood vessels could aid the treatment of pancreatic cancer, according to a new study.

Cancer Research UK scientists have carried out studies using an enzyme called PEGPH20, which is able to stretch open the insides of blood vessels in mice by removing the bulky molecule hyaluronan.

Typically, the tight compression of blood vessels is a key barrier to the delivery of drugs to tumours, preventing compounds from diffusing across the tumour to kill the cancer cells.

However, using PEGPH20 was shown to overcome this problem, with a trial involving the chemotherapy drug gemcitabine demonstrating signs of blocked tumour growth and increased survival.

Dr Julie Sharp, Cancer Research UK's senior science information manager, said: "Although it's too early to say whether this enzyme can be used to treat patients with pancreatic cancer in the future, this research will help our understanding of the disease."

Figures from the organisation show that around 7,600 pancreatic cancer cases are currently diagnosed each year.