UC Davis researchers have made a pioneering discovery of a means to block a cancer gene's own repair mechanism and thereby make chemotherapy for kidney cancer more effective. After analyzing thousands of compounds, UC Davis nephrology professor Robert Weiss and his research team found three substances that decreased expression of the p21 gene that can restore cancer cell DNA and interfere with cancer treatments. "Our work offers hope that in the future these p21 inhibitors can be refined and used in concert with other conventional as well as novel cancer treatments to increase the comfort and life spans of patients with kidney cancer," Weiss said.