The Gene that Stops Breast Cancer Spread

Over 90% of deaths from breast cancer are caused by metastasis, when the cancer has returned and spread to other parts of the body, including the chest wall, lymph nodes, bones, lungs, liver or brain. But Breastcancer.org says that metastatic breast cancer is more treatable compared to a cancer that starts in the bones or liver so that’s good news.

Well, researchers from The Wistar Institute has uncovered another good news – they identified the gene that can suppress the spread of tumor cells in the body!

The gene, KLF17, is called a “metastasis-suppressor gene” which prevents the spread of cancer cells from the breast to the lungs (as in the study) when it is turned on, and promotes metastasis when it is knocked down, damaged or absent. The protein from KLF17 attaches itself to the promoter region of the gene Id1 (a key metastasis regulator in breast cancer) to prevent its transcription.

Previous to this study, the function of KLF17 has been unknown so the scientists are still continuing to study KLF17. One possible cancer therapy would be to activate the gene in cancer cells, hence preventing its spread.

The report appeared online this week in Nature Cell Biology.

via Science Daily