‘Cell Wars’ find sparks cancer cure hopes

A DISCOVERY about the way healthy cells and tumours do battle in the body could open up completely new strategies for tackling cancer, it was claimed yesterday.

Scientists showed for the first time that normal and cancerous cells in mammals engage in deadly gladiatorial contests.

The losers are killed by a process of induced biological suicide called apoptosis. Which it will be – healthy or tumour cells – is decided by genes and proteins.