NEWS POST: Doctor Makes Biggest Leukaemia Breakthrough In 30 Years Which Could Lead To A Cure For Rare Form Of The Disease

Melbourne professor Mark Dawson has made a breakthrough in researching a form of leukaemia which kills thousands around the world every year 

*Acute myeloid leukaemia affects around 900 Australians every year *Even higher in other countries with thousands suffering from the disease *Melbourne professor made breakthrough in understanding how it spreads *Targeting two proteins which 'drive' cancer may help develop treatment 

An Australian doctor has led a team of cancer experts in making the most significant breakthrough in leukaemia research for 30 years.

Professor Mark Dawson of the Peter McCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne was among doctors researching the roles of two proteins in Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) which affects 900 Australians every year. 

He has found that the proteins work together to progress the disease by 'talking to each other'. 

Targeting one to split it from the other may hold the key in 'moving forward' in treatment of the leukaemia. 

Celebrating his findings, he told The Herald Sun: 'We’ve never really known why this leukaemia, more than other subtypes of leukaemia, seem to respond so well to drugs that target these two proteins. 

'This research tells us exactly how these two proteins work in this type of leukaemia, and then it actually gives us ­insight into the fact they talk to each other, and by doing so they collaborate with each other to drive the leukaemia.

'Potentially targeting both is a unique opportunity for us to go forward.'

Acute myeloid leukaemia (above) sees white blood cells in bone marrow multiply at an alarming rate 

Professor Mei Krishnasamy, an advisor to Cancer Council Australia and the President of the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia, said the discovery was 'very promising'. 

'It's a very positive message for people particularly with this leukaemia. There has been very little change in treatment and very little opportunity for breakthrough or improvement so this, though it's in its very early stages, is very promising.

'Now we're not looking at a 30-year-wait for new treatment. It's really remarkable that we now understand how they're effective together so it offers opportunity, hopefully, for cure and survival.'   

AML sees sufferers' bone marrow produce a large number of white blood cells.  It is known to develop quickly, over just days or weeks, and is the most common type of leukaemia among adults.

Professor Dawson's breakthrough in understanding how it develops comes days after a team of researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Victoria made their own discovery in how best to treat the disease. 

They discovered a new way to kill off multiplying cancerous cells without harming healthy ones with the use of two drugs - birinapant, a new anti-cancer drug, and emricasan. 

Experts hope their findings means fewer sufferers of the disease will relapse after treatment. 

Half of all AML sufferers relapse within five years of completing treatment, with only half of those surviving afterwards, according to The Australian Cancer Research Foundation.

Professor Dawson of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute in Melbourne (above) hopes the development could help in future patient treatment 

In 2013 101 people died of AML in Australia. In the U.S. almost 20,000 are diagnosed with the disease every year and half are expected to die from the disease.

Originally published in Daily Mail UK