{
  "abstract": "Despite significant advances in early detection and therapeutic opportunities, cancer remains a critical global health challenge. The greatest barrier to reducing cancer-associated mortality is the persistent problem of therapeutic resistance and metastasis. Standard treatment approaches, including surgery combined with chemotherapy and radiation, are effective for many patients with localised disease. However, a substantial proportion of patients will experience recurrence and therapy resistance, leading to treatment failure and poor outcomes. This adverse prognosis for patients highlights the critical need to identify new therapeutic targets capable of improving long-term survival. The ion transportome comprises ion channels, solute transporters and pumps that regulate controlled movement of sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), calcium (Ca2+), chloride (Cl-), and hydrogen (H+) across cell membranes. Ion transport is central to many cellular processes, including cell growth, volume regulation, proliferation and migration. In many solid tumours, the finely-tuned ionic balance becomes dysregulated, with aberrant expression or activity of membrane transport proteins being closely linked to many of the hallmarks of cancer. Ion channel modulation using pharmacological agents designed to treat channelopathies has demonstrated promise in suppressing cancer progression in pre-clinical models. Thus, targeting ion-driven vulnerabilities within solid tumours may complement existing therapies to overcome resistance and improve patient outcomes. The dynamic nature of ion transport mechanisms means addressing critical research questions around their suitability as pharmacological targets is challenging, highlighting the need to develop innovative approaches to study these processes in oncology. Despite improved treatment opportunities, a major challenge remains for a proportion of cancer patients whose tumours develop resistance to such therapies. These patients experience a poor prognosis, highlighting an urgent need for novel clinical targets to improve responses. In healthy cells, ion transport is central to many functions, and is tightly regulated by corresponding ion channels, transporters and pumps. In cancer cells, the ionic balance is dysregulated due to aberrant expression or function of these transport mechanisms, and has been implicated in pro-tumorigenic behaviours. Targeting ion channels and transporters in tumours may therefore be a viable therapeutic avenue. However, further work is required to fully explore the clinical potential of this class of targets. Improved models, technologies and databases will advance our understanding of ion channels/transporters and their contributions to malignancy.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Jack Birch Cancer Research Unit, York Biomedical Research Institute, Department of Biology, , ,",
    "Centre for Cell and Molecular Dynamics, , ,",
    "Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, , ,",
    "School of Nursing, Psychotherapy & Community Health, , ,",
    "School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, , ,",
    "School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, , ,",
    "Department of Bioengineering, , ,",
    "Institute of Academic Anaesthesia, , ,",
    "Department of Biomedical Sciences & Biomedical Engineering, , ,",
    "School of Physics, Engineering & Technology & York Biomedical Research Institute, , ,",
    "Department of Biochemistry, , ,",
    "Metrion Biosciences Ltd, Cambridge, CB21 6AL, UK",
    "Department of Life Sciences, , ,",
    "Sophion Bioscience, Sussex Drug Discovery Centre, , ,",
    "Johnston Cancer Research Centre, , ,",
    "Celex Oncology Ltd, London, W1W 6XH, UK",
    "Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, , ,",
    "School of Life Sciences, , ,",
    "Research Institute for Health Sciences & Technologies, , ,",
    "Department of Neuroscience, Physiology & Pharmacology, , ,"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 25,
  "authors": [
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        0
      ],
      "name": "Alina L. Capatina"
    },
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        0
      ],
      "name": "Jodie R. Malcolm"
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        1
      ],
      "name": "Aamir Ahmed"
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        2
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      "name": "Jason Bruce"
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    {
      "affs": [
        3
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      "name": "Paul J. Buchanan"
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        4
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      "name": "Thomas R. Eykyn"
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        5
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      "name": "Elizabeth M. Fitzgerald"
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        6
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      "name": "Amanda J. Foust"
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        7
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      "name": "Tim G. Hales"
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    {
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        8
      ],
      "name": "Yoshikatsu Hayashi"
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    {
      "affs": [
        9
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      "name": "Stuart G. Higgins"
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    {
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        1
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      "name": "Alson Huang"
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    {
      "affs": [
        10
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      "name": "Antony P. Jackson"
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      "name": "Andrew D. James"
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        12
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      "name": "Frederick Jones"
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        13
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      "name": "Sarah J. Lilley"
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        14
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      "name": "Karen McCloskey"
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        15
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      "name": "Sara Moodad"
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        16
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      "name": "Hugh Robinson"
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    {
      "affs": [
        10
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      "name": "Samantha C. Salvage"
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    {
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        17
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      "name": "Orkun S. Soyer"
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    {
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        18
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      "name": "Serife Yerlikaya"
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    {
      "affs": [
        19
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      "name": "Jonathan Ashmore"
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    {
      "affs": [
        17
      ],
      "name": "Ruth Murrell-Lagnado"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "William J. Brackenbury"
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  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7345x4r0598t8.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1113/jp290738",
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  "id": "7345x4r0598t8",
  "issns": [
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    "1469-7793"
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  "language": "eng",
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  "licence_label": "CC BY",
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  "pdf_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7619665/pdf/?tool=EBI",
  "pmcid": "PMC7619665",
  "pmid": "42893449",
  "published": "2026-10-18",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7345x4r0598t8.ris",
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      "first_seen": "2026-11-02T03:21:51Z",
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      "origin": "openalex:1312|Ion Transport and Channel Regulation",
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  "title": "Harnessing the Ion Transportome to Treat Cancer",
  "title_text": "Harnessing the Ion Transportome to Treat Cancer",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-04T12:20:42Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7345x4r0598t8",
  "venue": "The Journal of physiology",
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