Scientists discover lung cancer's 'bodyguard system'—and how to disarm it (Kaempferol)

Medical Xpress / Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore / Science Advances ^ | Jan. 25, 2026 | Yafei Du et al

[ConservativeMind]

Scientists have identified why certain lung cancer cells become highly resistant to treatment after developing mutations in a key gene called EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor).

In a study, the researchers reveal a previously unknown survival mechanism and demonstrated that disrupting it can shrink tumors in laboratory models.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths globally. Many cases are driven by mutations in the EGFR gene. These mutations are found in up to 40–60% of adenocarcinoma.

The researchers screened more than 21,000 genes to identify what protects these mutant proteins from being broken down. They discovered that cancer cells flood their surroundings with ATP (adenosine triphosphate), a molecule normally used for energy. This excess ATP switches on a receptor called P2Y2, which then recruits a partner protein called integrin β1 to form a protective barrier around the mutant EGFR.

This barrier stops the faulty protein from reaching the cell's "recycling center," where it would normally be broken down. Instead, the protected protein remains active and continues driving cancer growth.

The team confirmed these findings in human cancers.

The team showed that removing this protective system could stop cancer in its tracks. When they knocked out the P2Y2 receptor in drug-resistant cancer cells, it led to an almost complete loss of the mutant EGFR protein.

The researchers also tested kaempferol, a natural compound found in vegetables like kale and broccoli. In laboratory models with drug-resistant human lung tumors, daily treatment with kaempferol significantly shrank tumors over 24 days. Crucially, the treatment targeted only the cancer cells carrying EGFR mutations while having no detectable effect on tumors with normal EGFR.

"This approach could potentially work alongside current drugs to overcome or even prevent resistance, opening up a new way to tackle drug resistance when existing treatments stop working."

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TOPICS: Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: cancer; disease; lung

[ConservativeMind]

“The researchers also tested kaempferol, a natural compound found in vegetables like kale and broccoli. In laboratory models with drug-resistant human lung tumors, daily treatment with kaempferol significantly shrank tumors over 24 days. Crucially, the treatment targeted only the cancer cells carrying EGFR mutations while having no detectable effect on tumors with normal EGFR.“

Eat your broccoli and kale and fight back on a major form of lung cancer.

[ConservativeMind]

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[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Ping for Diana W. !

"vegetables like kale and broccoli."

[Tunehead54]

Bless you my Son I do not have it but I’ve been working on it for 55 years.

SLOW CT (?) SCANS show clean but we eat broccoli often. Guess Kale is now on the menu as well.

Thanks for the post - BUMP or rather BTTT!

😊😎🌴

[sauropod]

Bkmk

[irishjuggler]

“kaempferol significantly shrank tumors”

Call for Philip Morris... start rolling kale into your smokes.
(kidding)

[Vaduz]

Eat your broccoli and kale and fight back on a major form of lung cancer.

Wonder they will have a pill that does the same?

They have one for just about everything else as seen on TV. /s