Scientists have identified a single enzyme that acts as the “Achilles’ heel” of prostate cancer — and developed a way to shut it down without harming healthy tissue.
The enzyme, known as PI5P4Ka, fuels tumor cell growth and resistance to chemotherapy. By blocking it, researchers found that cancer cells rapidly self-destruct due to energy starvation, while normal cells remain untouched.
This targeted approach is a major leap beyond radiation or chemo, which damage healthy tissue and cause severe side effects. The treatment uses precision inhibitors, tiny molecules that lock onto the enzyme’s active site, effectively turning off the tumor’s power supply.