Scientists from Queensland University and Duke University in the United States have identified the origin of the most malignant type of brain tumour. The discovery accordingly is expected to provide a new hope for developing better therapies against the cancer. The discovery says that some stem cells only needed to mutate once which is contrary to general belief of several mutations.

 

Wainwright, the leading scientist of the research team said that they would not turn cancerous immediately, but once they had been given an instruction to turn into a specialized cell, the mutation would take hold and they would instead turn into a tumour. He added that there was good evidence that either cell type could be the origin of medulloblastomas.

 

Further he said that identifying the normal cell that gives rise to a tumour is important because it allows direct comparisons between tumour cells and their normal counterparts so that key differences and vulnerabilities in tumour can be identified. He concluded that once the cells are identified, these cells would be an excellent target for treatment.