Research at Stellenbosch University focusing on personalised cancer therapies

CAPE TOWN - Personalised cancer therapy has become a key focus of research currently under way at Stellenbosch University.

Scientists at the Maties campus are zooming in on existing chemotherapy drugs, particularly looking at patients' resistance to these therapies.

Researchers are setting out to guide doctors in finding the most effective and least harmful drug therapy based on an individual patient approach.

The cancer research group leader, Professor Anna-Mart Engelbrecht, explained that about 90% of chemotherapy failures were due to patients being resistant to the therapy.

"Our main aim at the moment is to establish testing protocols to minimise the risk of treatment resistance in cancer patients with a personalised medicine approach.

“With conventional medicine therapy, there are always off-target effects and also comorbidities, and relapse is very common in cancer patients."

Nireshni Reddy, a PhD physiology student, explained that her research focused on using gold nanoparticles in the treatment of breast cancer.

"Plant materials that I’m using have been shown to have anti-cancer activity towards certain breast cancer cell lines, and by using these plant materials to produce my gold nanoparticles I’m expecting that their anti-cancer properties will be imparted onto the gold nanoparticles, thereby enhancing their efficacy."

#CancerResearch Medical scientists at iThemba LABS in Cape Town are on a drive to improve cancer therapies, with one group particularly focusing on non-small cell lung cancer.

🎥@KevinJohnBrandt - KB pic.twitter.com/GtN5GIPy8L

' EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) April 3, 2023

Charnay Cunningham, is a PhD student in cancer - and radiation research. She uses cancerous cells to study how they respond after being exposed to a specific compound followed by a form of radiation... pic.twitter.com/jDzWQMYXem

' EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) April 3, 2023

Cunningham says they’re investigating substances that would make cancer cells more sensitive to radiotherapy, thereby making the treatment more effective... pic.twitter.com/19XQPpWfhp

' EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) April 3, 2023

Cancer Research Group leader at Stellenbosch University’s Physiology Department, Professor Anna-Mart Engelbrecht, explains scientists here investigate chemo-resistance and mechanisms to counteract chemotherapy-induced damage to the heart and skeletal muscle… pic.twitter.com/UulSETvkXt

' EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) April 3, 2023

Engelbrecht says they also conduct research on markers for the early detection of cancer, as well as metabolic pathways in the cancer micro-environment.

Physiology PhD student, Atarah Rass, explains she focusses on gene expression as part of the research project… pic.twitter.com/yFm9n7v0KG

' EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) April 3, 2023

Carla Fourie, is also a PhD student and focusses on cervical cancer treatment resistance… pic.twitter.com/RwHaYOcU5e

' EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) April 3, 2023

Michelle van der Merwe demonstrates what colon cancer cells look like under the microscope… pic.twitter.com/6Kx8FbvTox

' EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) April 3, 2023

Michelle van der Merwe demonstrates what colon cancer cells look like under the microscope… pic.twitter.com/6Kx8FbvTox

' EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) April 3, 2023

The African Cancer Institute was founded in 2014.
⁰Senior Lecturer here, Dr Yoshan Moodley, elaborates on their work at the Institute… pic.twitter.com/voQrmGnVNy

' EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) April 3, 2023

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said in 2020, breast cancer was the most common cause of the disease diagnosed in 2020, followed by lung cancer.

Stats South Africa said breast cancer was the most diagnosed malignancy among females in 2019 and accounted for just over 23% of all cancers diagnosed in women.

Cancer of the prostate, colorectal, and lung cancer were most the most diagnosed forms of the disease among men in that year.