A medical breakthrough in bowel cancer research has revealed 80 per cent of bowel cancers could be treated with existing drugs.

Australian medical researchers have found that a specific class of drugs known as JAK inhibitors are effective in stopping the growth of bowel cancers with a particular genetic defect, found in the majority of bowel cancers.

These medications have been approved for clinical use for other diseases, therefore don’t require the development of new drug and safety testing like many other laboratory breakthroughs.

The researchers conducting the study say the drug is in trial phase and if successful it will be used in combination with other bowel cancer treatments to boost effectiveness.

Our Founder and CEO Nick Lee said, “A medical breakthrough that could halt the progression of tumours would be welcomed. Time becomes more precious than ever once you’ve been diagnosed with bowel cancer, and this new development looks very promising.”

To read a recent article in The Herald Sun on this breakthrough click here.

The research can be found in the journal Science Signaling here.