GROUNDBREAKING research by a University of Bolton student could revolutionise treatment for cancer patients.

Dorcas Ishaya, who last week graduated with a First Class Honours degree in Molecular Biology from the University of Bolton, has been carrying out research which could help to predict more accurately whether oral cancer might return in a patient.

The 21-year-old, examined whether certain genes could be detected which would enable the medical profession to more accurately predict the return of the cancer.

Dorcas, who aims to attend Medical School with hopes of becoming an oncologist, said: "I found the molecular genetics behind this physiological response very interesting.

"In my project I looked whether a panel of nine genes indicated to have a role in growth and proliferation of oral cancer could be detected to allow us make a more accurate prediction of the likelihood of the oral cancer relapse."

Oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the world.

Despite major technological and therapeutic advancements, the five-year survival rate of patients remains unchanged.

For many years, cancer researchers have struggled to understand why although many cancer drugs and treatments reduce the size of tumours, most cancers eventually relapse.

Some recent evidence suggests that a small subset of cancer cells with stem-like properties are responsible for tumour initiation, cancer aggressiveness, treatment resistance, and tumour reoccurance.

Dorcas said that the results confirmed the potential involvement of specific genes which could be investigated further.

"The findings indicate that a combination of these biomarkers may be useful to predict the likelihood of oral cancer relapse," she added.

Fellow graduate Abusadat Abdullah, who also obtained a First Class degree presented his final year research project at the University of Bolton's TIRI — Teaching Intensive, Research Informed —Conference 2018.

Abusadat, aged 26, said: "At the University of Bolton I developed an interest in Molecular Physiology, the field that focuses on how molecular genetic mechanisms can be the cause of physiological processes and how these mechanisms are regulated."

Dr Ianis G. Matsoukas, assistant teaching professor, said: "At the University of Bolton, we help students realise their full potential; not as passive recipients of knowledge, but as active researchers, analysts, critics and scientists eager to master increasingly challenging tasks."