Overstuffed cancer cells may have an Achilles' heel

In a study using yeast cells and data from cancer cell lines, scientists report they have found a potential weak spot among cancer cells that have extra sets of chromosomes, the structures that carry genetic material. The vulnerability, they say, is rooted in a common feature among cancer cells -- their high intracellular protein concentrations -- that make them appear bloated and overstuffed, and which could be used as possible new targets for cancer treatments.