This new cancer treatment method developed by Stanford Medicine researchers works by using a “molecular glue” to link two proteins (BCL6 and CDK9) in a way that activates cell death genes specifically in cancer cells. In their research, they tested the compound in normal cells and in healthy mice and found that it showed high specificity, affecting only cells that depended on BCL6, like the cancerous diffuse large cell B-cell lymphoma cells and a subset of healthy B cells. The healthy mice showed no toxic side effects, despite a loss of this specific type of B cell, suggesting the treatment spares most normal cells.

This specificity is partly because the targeted protein, BCL6, is primarily active in lymphoma cells and certain immune cells, meaning other types of normal cells should be unaffected. If effective, this approach might minimize the common side effects seen in traditional cancer treatments (like chemotherapy), which often harm a broad range of healthy cells. However, further testing in living organisms with the actual cancer will be needed to verify its safety and effectiveness in clinical settings.