Kyorin and Takeda Joint Research on the Existence of Intratumor Metabolic Heterogeneity in Kidney Cancer Published in EBioMedicine

Tokyo and Osaka, Japan, April 10 2017 – Kyorin University School of Medicine (Kyorin) and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Takeda), today announced research indicating the existence of intratumor metabolic heterogeneity in kidney cancer. The research was published in EBioMedicine*.
* EBioMedicine is an online journal published in collaboration with Cell and The Lancet.

The joint research was conducted by Dr. Takatsugu Okegawa, Professor at the Department of Urology, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Dr. Takahito Hara, Associate Director, Takeda, and their colleagues. Their research revealed the existence of metabolic heterogeneity, or different metabolic profiles, within the same kidney tumor. The researchers conducted global metabolomics analyses of surgically resected primary kidney tumors, some of which were obtained from spatially-separated different sites within the same tumor.

Today, intratumor heterogeneity is considered one of the reasons that anti-cancer agents have efficacy limits. Research so far has revealed that genetic heterogeneity exists within kidney cancer tumor cells; however, no scientific research has been conducted on the heterogeneity of kidney cancer “metabolism” within a tumor.

The study also investigated the roles of pyruvate—the featured metabolite in metabolic profiling—in kidney cancer growth. The purpose was to identify potential clinical vulnerabilities in human kidney cancer.

The findings of this joint research are expected to contribute to the development of innovative medicines by identifying features of cancer metabolism. Prof. Okegawa says that “understanding the features of cancer in patients can lead to effective cancer therapies. We will continue to push our research forward to develop treatments that will save the lives of cancer patients.” “We hope we can give back research achievement to cancer patients more quickly than ever, through closer cooperation between academia and industry” says Dr. Hara.

The number of estimated new cases of kidney cancer in 2016 was approximately 22,800 in Japan and 337,900 globally. The number of estimated deaths in 2016 in Japan exceeded 7,,500 in Japan and over 140 thousand globally. Currently, surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, biologic therapy, or targeted therapy are used to treat kidney cancer, however novel therapeutics are needed.

About the Kyorin University Hospital
In addition to functioning as a key regional hospital for the Tama area in western Tokyo, Kyorin University Hospital has been designated as an “advanced treatment hospital” by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in recognition of its role as a center for advanced treatment, medical research and development, and education. Its Trauma and Critical Care Center is one of the largest emergency medical facilities in Japan, and its Maternal and Perinatal Center provides services around the clock in collaboration with obstetrics and neonatology. The hospital’s regular clinical divisions consist of 33 departments representing all major specialties of internal medicine and surgery, along with psychiatry and neurology, pediatrics, dermatology, radiology, anesthesiology, and rehabilitation. The Central Clinical Division consists of special units, including the Cancer Center, Stroke Center, Renal Dialysis Center, and Cognitive Disorder Center, as well as the Trauma and Critical Care Center, where teams of specialists use state-of-the-art equipment to provide advanced care and conduct clinical training. Altogether more than 2,000 medical professionals work in teams, in close communication, to deliver the kind of high-quality, conscientious care patients can trust. For more information, visit HP (Japanese)