Dundee scientists lead research on ‘forgotten’ disease

Scientists from Dundee University are to lead new research into a “forgotten” cancer.

Russell Petty, professor of medical oncology at the university’s School of Medicine, has received £300,000 to try to overcome resistance to treatment experienced by oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients.

The problem of resistance is so serious 60% of people die within a year of being diagnosed and only around 15% of patients are cured.

Almost all UK research funding and clinical trials in this area have been focused on oesophageal adenocarcinoma, the more common sub-type of the disease.

Instances of OSCC have been increasing over the past 20 to 30 years but the disease, related to smoking, alcohol consumption and social deprivation, has become less prevalent throughout most of the developed world. Scotland is an exception to this trend and a recent international report showed instances of OSCC were higher among Scots than any other group of women studied.

“The fact that the incidence of OSCC in Scottish women is the highest in the world is an important national health statistic and yet one which has attracted little or no attention,” said Professor Petty.

“It really is Scotland’s forgotten cancer.

“When I came to work in Tayside a few years ago, I was surprised to be seeing more oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients than I would expect.”

Preliminary research carried out suggested a new molecular mechanism of drug resistance in OSCC, which they have demonstrated can be overcome by a new targeted cancer medicine that is already in clinical trials.