Novel drug under development for colon cancer.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer in both men and women. For this reason, screening has become increasingly common, and researchers have been working to identify areas to target for treatment. Over 80% of colon cancers overexpress an enzyme called focal adhesion kinase (FAK). A recent presentation at the American Association for Cancer Research revealed that inhibiting FAK prevents colon cancer cell growth and survival. Colon cancer cells treated with the FAK inhibitor were more likely to detach and die (undergo apoptosis). While the research has focused on colon cancer, scientists suggest the drug may also be applicable to other conditions, including neuroblastoma, breast cancer and pancreatic cancer.