Moving Images Reveal Secrets Behind Breast Cancer Spread
November 24, 2011
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Healthcare Prof:
Cancer Study UK scientists have utilised a cutting edge microscopy technique to identify genes whose activity could be blocked by drugs to stop the spread of the breast cancer. The analysis is published in Nature Cell Biology* .
The scientists from Cancer Research UK’s London Analysis Institute and Breast Cancer Campaign analysed the role of cell ‘messengers’ controlled by Transforming Growth Factor Beta (TGF-beta) – which regulates cell growth and movement – to see how it affected the spread of breast cancer cells in mice.
A ‘reporter’ protein within the cancer cells glowed blue when the TGF-beta cell messenger system was active.
The findings showed that TGF-beta controlled a set of genes that need to have to be 1st turned on and then off to enable breast cancer cells to spread by way of the blood.
An understanding of how cancer cells spread will help scientists design remedies to stop this happening.
The researchers located that within the presence of a signal from TGF-beta, single cells broke away from the main tumour and spread via the blood to other tissues and organs, including the lungs. But the absence of a TGF-beta signal prevented single cells breaking away. Instead the tumour spread via clumps of cells in the lymphatic program which could only spread locally and could not spread towards the blood or lungs.
Lead author Dr Erik Sahai, head of the Tumour Cell Biology Laboratory at Cancer Investigation UK’s London Study Institute said: “We have utilised cutting-edge filming techniques to study the behaviour of cancer cells. The results helped us to find the set of genes which are behind the spread of breast cancer – and that the genes require to be very first turned on and then off in order for single cancer cells to be able to ‘relocate’.
“Surprisingly little is identified about the way cancer cells spread via the body since it truly is so incredibly difficult to study. In a medium-sized tumour there could be a billion cells – and only a little proportion might break away and spread. So it truly is like trying to find – and understand – a moving needle in a very big haystack.”
In the UK in 2006 far more than 45,500 ladies were diagnosed with breast cancer – around 125 females a day. Breast cancer may be the second most frequent cause of death from cancer in women soon after lung.
Pamina Brassey, 49, West London, stated: “I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 and had a mastectomy in my right breast to get rid of the tumour.
“My cancer was caught early and I was told there was a 90 per cent chance that the cancer would not return.
“I feel lucky simply because it can be much more difficult to treat breast cancer once it has spread. I think it really is fantastic news that researchers have located out how breast cancer cells can spread around the body simply because this will open the doors for study into new possible drugs to prevent this happening – and increase survival from advanced disease.
“I feel back to where I was physically before I was diagnosed – I’m back into rollerblading and feel fantastic. It would be great to hear that much more girls inside the future could have exactly the same wonderful news.”
Arlene Wilkie, director of study and policy, Breast Cancer Campaign stated: “This groundbreaking investigation can be a major step forward in understanding how breast cancer spreads to other parts of the body, the primary cause of death from this disease.”
Dr Helen George, head of science details at Cancer Analysis UK, stated: “This crucial analysis unravels for the initial time how single breast cancer cells leave a tumour and start to move about the body – something that until now has not been fully understood. Sadly the majority of women who die from breast cancer do so since their disease has spread from the breast to other parts of the body.
“This investigation opens doors to enable scientists to find ways to block the spread of cancer – and improve survival.
“More girls are surviving breast cancer than ever before thanks to earlier diagnosis and better therapy – and we hope investigation like this will play a crucial role in helping more people survive this disease within the future.”
Reference
Silvia Giampieri et al. Localised and reversible TGFB signalling switches breast cancer cells from cohesive to single cell motility. Nature Cell Biology 2009
Source
Cancer Research UK
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