Research undertaken by Professor Chris Proud from The University of Southampton has recently been published in the journal Cell has discovered a cellular compenent called eEF2K which allows cancer cells to survive nutrient starvation.

This component is not required by healthy cells therefore by blocking this component; cancer cells would not be able to survive nutrient starvation. Traditional cancer treatments such as radiotherapy unfortunately also attack healthy cells. Professor Proud is now working towards developing and testing drugs which could potentially block eEF2K.

This research could represent a significant breakthrough in future cancer treatment.