# FDA-approved drug kills cancer cells in lab by disrupting cellular recycling

Source: [Medical Xpress - latest medical and health news stories](https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-11-fda-drug-cancer-cells-lab.html) · 2026-11-09 · Medicine
Page: https://themorning.science/story/fda-approved-drug-kills-cancer-cells-in-lab-by-disrupting-cellular-recycling-0b8f4a6c053c471e
Kind: research · Impact: low

## In brief

- Researchers from VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center showed that inhibiting glucosylceramide synthase (GCS) can kill cancer cells in the lab.
- The cell death occurs independently of changes in pro-death ceramide levels.
- The findings were recently published in a journal, per the source, and the work was demonstrated in laboratory cells.

## Why it matters

The study points to a cell-death route that works through disrupting cellular recycling rather than through ceramide levels, which could inform future cancer drug research. Results so far come from lab experiments, not patients.

## Coverage

- [FDA-approved drug kills cancer cells in lab by disrupting cellular recycling](https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-11-fda-drug-cancer-cells-lab.html) — Medical Xpress - latest medical and health news stories, 2026-11-09

Tags: cancer, cell biology, sphingolipids, drug research, lab study

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Brief generated by AI (claude-haiku-5-5) from the reporting listed under Coverage. Headlines belong to their publishers. The Morning Science – https://themorning.science