October 27, 2025 – A promising new approach for colorectal cancer treatment has been developed by a team including researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU). 

In the study published in Molecular Oncology, the scientists identified a unique protein biomarker that could predict which patients are likely to resist conventional chemotherapy, enabling doctors to tailor treatments more precisely. Beyond colorectal cancer, the findings may also shed light on other cancers and even neurological conditions, making this a promising step toward smarter, more targeted medicine. 

The research team was led by Prof. Michal Linial, Prof. Or Kakhlon, and Keren Zohar of HU, together with Prof. Ulf D. Kahlert and Dr. Marco Strecker of University Medicine Magdeburg, Otto von Guericke University. 

“Our study shows the power of integrating patient-specific data with functional models,” said Prof. Linial. “This approach doesn’t just identify what makes each patient’s tumor unique, it shows us where the cancer is most vulnerable.” 

Prof. Kahlert added: “These findings could help design new therapies that are both more effective and more personalized, offering hope for patients facing this devastating disease.” 

The team compared tumor and healthy tissue from 32 colorectal cancer patients using advanced sequencing, histology of tumor samples, and patient-derived tumor models to uncover the critical role of the cystine/glutamate transporter (Xc-) system, a mechanism cancer cells use to regulate stress and resist cell death. When this system was blocked in lab models, the cancer became more sensitive to treatment.  

Implications Beyond Colon Cancer 

The research highlights new opportunities to target ferroptosis—a form of programmed cell death that cancer cells often evade. Importantly, the same biological pathways also connect to processes of neuronal survival, suggesting potential relevance for other cancers and possibly neurological disorders. 

Future Clinical Impact 

The discovery positions the Xc- system as a predictive therapeutic target in colorectal cancer and underscores the importance of using a careful bioinformatic analysis led by Keren Zohar. In this analysis, each tumor sample was directly compared to a normal sample from the same patient, thus overcoming the diversity among tumor samples. The patient-derived models were utilized to validate computational predictions. The researchers hope their work will accelerate the development of new drugs and treatment strategies aimed at improving survival and quality of life for colorectal cancer patients worldwide. 

The research paper titled “Patient-specific pharmacogenomics demonstrates xCT as predictive therapeutic target in colon cancer with possible implications in tumor connectivity” is now available in  Molecular Oncology and can be accessed here.

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