Breast Cancer Metastases Gene, Halted/Blocked by Scientists

Metastases – the process of cancer spreading to other parts of the body – is a scary word in cancer.

A research team led by Dr. Joan Massagué from the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (New York, US) has demonstrated a way to stop breast cancer metastasis by either switching off the genes involved in the process or blocking them with drugs.

In 2005, they found a number of genes that help breast cancer to metastase to the lungs. In this new study, they have identified four genes in particular that work together to help cells from the primary site to settle at a new site and grow.

The four genes are: EREG, MMP1, MMP2 and COX2.

When all four genes in human breast cancer cells were switched off altogether before inserting them into mice, tumours did not grow, and metastasis to the lungs was greatly reduced. However, switching off the genes individually did not produce the same dramatic effect.

Then, a combination of three drugs was used to inhibit the action of the genes: cetuximab and celecoxib (both approved for clinical use) and GM6001 (an experimental drug) – resulting to same effect as switching the four genes off (the two approved drugs minus the experimental one also stopped the spread of cancer).

Results of this study have been reported in the journal Nature, suggesting that the four genes have to work together to help both tumour growth and spread.

Cancer metastasis is a big mystery to scientists, may be these findings will help unlock that and benefit mankind.

Find more details from the full report.