New study identifies growth hormone receptor as possible target to improve lung cancer treatment

Researchers at Ohio University have discovered what may be a new way to fight lung cancer that is resistant to other treatments. The study published in the International Journal of Molecular Science and led by Goll-Ohio Eminent Scholar and distinguished professor John J. Kopchick, Ph.D., and his graduate student Arshad Ahmad at the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, found that blocking the growth hormone receptor may help make lung cancer treatments more effective. Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and worldwide. The most common type, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), makes up about 80–85% of all lung cancer cases. Although surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and targeted therapies have improved over time, many patients develop resistance to treatment. This makes the disease harder to control and lowers survival rates. The research team studied the role of growth hormone (GH) in NSCLC. Growth hormone is best known for helping regulate height, metabolism and body development. It works by binding to a protein in cells called the growth hormone receptor (GHR). However, previous research has suggested that GH may also help cancer cells grow and resist treatment. Using large patient datasets, including information from The Cancer Genome
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