SYDNEY, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- Australian researchers have identified a potential new target for treating aggressive blood cancers such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

The study, published in Molecular Cell, identified a protein called Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 11 (CDK11) as a critical regulator of gene expression in cancer cells, according to a statement released Tuesday by Australia's Peter MacCallum Cancer Center.

The research revealed that by blocking CDK11, scientists found they could trigger rapid cell death in AML, and an experimental drug targeting CDK11 can effectively kill blood cancer cells in pre-clinical human AML models.

"Cancer cells are masters of hijacking normal gene control," said senior author Ricky Johnstone, professor and executive director of cancer research at the center.

Aggressive blood cancer cells can't survive without CDK11, which "potentially opens up a whole new strategy to treat these hard-to-treat cancers," Johnstone said.

Lead author Jennifer Devlin said cancer cells rely heavily on certain pathways to grow, identifying CDK11 as one such "Achilles heel," and by targeting CDK11, scientists can switch off essential genes for cancer survival without harming normal cells.

This breakthrough brings fresh hope to patients facing aggressive blood cancers with limited treatment options like AML, which affects over 1,000 Australians annually and has a five-year survival rate of just 30 percent, the authors said.

The research team aims to advance drugs targeting CDK11 toward clinical trials. ■