From "Destroying" to "Reverting" Cancer — The Impact of Molecular Switch Therapy from Korea: A New Paradigm of Cancer "Normalization"

The National Cancer Center of Korea and KAIST have announced "REVERT," a breakthrough that aims to revert cancer cells to a state closer to normal. By using single-cell data and mathematical models, they identified a critical transition state and analyzed a "fate switch" centered around YY1/MYC. They discovered USP7 as the ultimate target and confirmed that inhibiting USP7 in organoids derived from colorectal cancer patients suppressed proliferation and restored normal characteristics. The paper will be published in Advanced Science on January 22, 2025, with the research institutions announcing it on September 9. However, the validation is currently at the cell and organoid stage, with clinical trials yet to come. On social media, there is a balance between expectations of it being a "game-changer" and cautious opinions that it is still in the early stages. Future focuses will include expanding to other cancer types, ensuring long-term stability and safety, optimizing drug development, and conducting clinical trials.