Turning lupus against cancer

Yale School of Medicine researchers have shown that a lupus autoantibody inhibited DNA repair mechanisms in cancer cells and sensitized mice to radiation and chemotherapy.¹ The group is planning Phase I trials of the autoantibody in patients with cancer.

Although DNA damage repair responses are necessary to combat the toxic effects of environmental and chemical stressors, the responses can reduce or block the efficacy of chemotherapy and radiation therapies...