The research team at Kyung Hee University's College of Korean Medicine, led by Dean Go Sung-kyu, has made a significant breakthrough in understanding the growth mechanisms of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which accounts for about 85% of lung cancer cases. This new finding reveals how cancer cells obtain energy to proliferate, potentially leading to novel treatment approaches. Their study, titled 'GPR54 regulates non-small cell lung cancer development via dopa decarboxylase,' has been published in the prestigious journal 'Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy.'

The team focused on how NSCLC communicates and grows, determining that the receptor GPR54 controls the expression of the enzyme DDC, which activates energy metabolism in cancer cells. By conducting experiments on a mouse model with a specific gene mutation (Kras), the researchers discovered that removing GPR54 significantly reduced both the number and size of tumors. Additionally, a notable increase in cancer cell apoptosis was observed, leading to a meaningful extension of the subjects' survival period. This demonstrates the crucial role DDC plays in facilitating cancer cell survival and proliferation by rapidly consuming glucose and producing lactate through active glycolysis.

Further analysis of public patient data indicated that higher levels of GPR54 in tumor tissues were associated with faster cancer progression and poorer survival outcomes, particularly in early-stage patients. This connection suggests that GPR54 and DDC not only play vital roles in cancer development but may also serve as valuable biomarkers for diagnosing and predicting lung cancer progression in patients, thereby enhancing precision medicine approaches in oncology.