Survival protein may prevent collateral damage during cancer therapy

(Walter and Eliza Hall Institute) Australian researchers have identified a protein that could protect the kidneys from 'bystander' damage caused by cancer therapies. The 'cell survival protein', called BCL-XL, was required in laboratory models to keep kidney cells alive and functioning during exposure to chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Kidney damage is a common side effect of these widely used cancer therapies, and the discovery has shed light on how this damage occurs at the molecular level.
Source: EurekAlert! - Cancer - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: news