CDK4/6 inhibitors: New hope for the treatment of bowel cancer

Researchers at Würzburg University Hospital and LMU Munich have investigated the efficacy of CDK4/6 inhibitors in colorectal cancer – with promising results. The drugs, originally developed for breast cancer, effectively slow the growth of colorectal cancer cells, even in treatment-resistant tumours. The protein p16 is crucial to the success of the treatment: cancer cells with high p16 expression respond less well to the treatment. The protein could serve as a biomarker to identify patients who are likely to benefit most. The study, funded by the Wilhelm Sander Foundation, was published in *Cellular Oncology* and could pave the way for personalised treatment approaches.