Core Insights - A new small molecule called "phospholipid degrading agent" has been successfully designed and synthesized by the French National Center for Scientific Research, which can induce the death of cancer cells that lead to tumor recurrence and are resistant to standard treatments [1][2] - Current cancer therapies primarily target rapidly proliferating primary tumor cells, but struggle to eliminate metastatic cancer cells that adapt to existing treatments, which account for 70% of cancer-related deaths [1] - The research focuses on "persistent cancer cells" that express a protein called CD44, enhancing their iron uptake and making them more aggressive and adaptable to conventional therapies [1] Research Findings - The research team has developed a small molecule that activates iron death, which triggers oxidative degradation of cell membrane lipids, ultimately leading to cell death [1] - One of the designed molecules possesses fluorescent properties, allowing researchers to track its localization within cells and confirm its accumulation in lysosomes [2] - In preclinical models of metastatic breast cancer, the injection of this molecule resulted in a significant slowdown of tumor growth, and notable cytotoxic responses were observed in biopsy samples from patients with pancreatic cancer and sarcoma [2] Future Directions - The research paper has been published in the journal Nature, and further clinical studies are needed to validate whether this treatment can serve as a supplementary therapy to current conventional chemotherapy, particularly targeting metastatic cancer cells resistant to standard treatments [2]