(MENAFN) Researchers in Australia have identified a breakthrough approach to destroy cancer cells in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), among the most lethal and treatment-resistant blood cancers.

The scientific team discovered that AML cells, particularly stem cells responsible for disease recurrence, depend on a ubiquitous molecule called heme for survival and continued proliferation. Disrupting this mechanism triggers cancer cell death through a recently identified process termed cuproptosis, according to a statement from Australia's Peter MacCallum Cancer Center released Thursday.

"By blocking AML cells from producing heme, we can switch on cuproptosis, a unique form of cell death, and effectively kill the cells most responsible for causing a cancer relapse," said Alexander Lewis, postdoctoral researcher at Peter Mac.

"We've uncovered a fundamental weakness in AML cells ... This opens the door to new therapies that are potentially more powerful and longer lasting," said Lewis, lead author of the research, published in Cell and conducted with multiple Australian research institutes.

Approximately 900 Australians receive an AML diagnosis annually, with half experiencing relapse following remission and median survival for relapsed patients ranging between four and six months, researchers reported.

"This discovery could lead to new treatments that not only kill AML cells but also prevent the disease from coming back after initial therapy," Lewis said, adding it "may be effective even in AML that has become resistant to standard drugs."

The investigation also pinpointed supplementary metabolic pathways that could be combined with heme-blocking strategies to amplify treatment effectiveness, the statement said.

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