Background cancer basics Genes are the coded instructions inside every living cell that contain all the information needed for life itself. Genes tell the cell how to live, grow and divide. Genes tell the cells how to work together to form a whole animal or plant. The cause of cancer also lies in the genes. When the genes which control the way that a cell grows and divides go wrong, this can make the cell become cancerous.
Cancer cells grow and divide rapidly out of control.
At the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, AICR is supporting the research of Professor Peter Nielsen, who is developing a new type of anti-cancer drug based on the chemical structure of genes. They soon began to investigate the possibility of using this technique to turn off the activity of the genes which cause cancer. Currently, the anti-sense drugs which are being used are a variety of DNA which includes sulphur. These are called peptide nucleic acids and they show considerable potential as the basis for the next generation of anti-sense drugs. With the funding from AICR, Professor Nielsen and his colleagues will be ironing out the remaining problems which prevent peptide nucleic acids from being used as anti-sense drugs.