A cure for cancer has been discovered in space as researchers from California collaborate with astronauts on tackling the disease. The scientists are intrigued by the weak gravitational pull in space, known as microgravity, which causes cells to age more quickly under extreme stress, allowing them to observe the progression of cancer growth at a faster rate than on Earth.
The Axiom 3 spaceflight, launched from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral on January 18, carried cancer cells grown in a laboratory by scientists at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Catriona HM Jamieson, who had previously sent samples into space, noted that under conditions of stress caused by microgravity, cancer cells demonstrated accelerated growth.
Previous missions indicated that mini tumors sent to space had activated a gene and tripled in size in just 10 days. The space tumors experienced a much faster growth rate compared to those on Earth, with further testing revealing that the gene ADAR1 “proliferated wildly” in the space tumors as they grew rapidly and unchecked. The team also discovered that the FDA-approved drug fedratinib, used for treating blood cancers, showed promising results.
Additionally, Jamieson’s team began developing an experimental drug called rebecsinib, which effectively blocks ADAR1 activation, preventing the production of malignant proteins and hindering the cloning of breast cancer cells. She described the drug as a potential “kill switch for cancer” and expressed the team’s intention to launch it into clinical trials on Earth by the end of the year, stating, “We’re not slowing down. When we see data like this, we think it’s our responsibility to get this to the clinic.”
