A micrograph of mantle cell lymphoma. Tel Aviv University (TAU) researchers have developed an innovative system that may treat the incurable blood cancer. Photo: Nephron via Wikimedia Commons.

JNS.org – Tel Aviv University (TAU) researchers have developed an innovative system that may treat an incurable blood cancer.

A recently published study revealed that using RNA therapy can successfully stop the reproduction of cancer-related protein in white blood cells in both animals and samples from human mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) patients.

The research was led by Prof. Dan Peer of TAU’s Department of Cell Research and Immunology, and conducted by TAU Ph.D. students Shiri Weinstein and Itai Toker, in collaboration with Prof. Pia Raanani of Rabin Medical Center and Prof. Arnon Nagler of Sheba Medical Center.

MCL is known as the most aggressive blood cancer, and affects 3,000 Americans every year. The cancer has a survival rate of five to seven years after diagnosis, with limited systemic therapeutic drug therapies available.