Metastasis

(Left) Normal expression of the protein activin B (red) in a healthy pancreas, which forms a barrier to cancer. (Right) Tumors can overcome that barrier by playing down the ALK7 pathway (cell nuclei are marked in cyan)

Medical

Biological barrier could keep cancer from metastasizing

Cancer might not be so difficult to kill if it didn’t have the terrifying ability to spread throughout the body. Now, researchers have discovered a particular protein signalling pathway that controls whether a tumor can spread or not, making it a good target for future drugs.

An existing drug has been found to be effective at keeping cancer in a dormant state, preventing metastases in other areas of the body

Medical

Existing drug that offers dormancy over death may be better for combatting cancer

Part of cancer's cunning is its ability to spread around the body, so that doctors can rarely be sure they’ve killed it all. Now researchers have identified a drug that could help keep cancer contained in a dormant state – and best of all, that drug is already on the market for other purposes.

The cancer cells on the left (in red) were converted into fat cells (marked in yellow on the right) using a novel combination of two already-approved drugs

Science

Method converting cancer cells into fat cells could block metastatic spread

A fascinating study has revealed a method that forces malignant breast cancer cells to turn into fat cells. The research, currently demonstrated in mice, suggests the process could stop tumors from metastasizing and potentially make the cancer more susceptible to conventional chemotherapy.

Scientists are developing a biosensor to detect and measure whether a cancer cell is likely to metastasize

Science

Biosensors developed to detect whether cancer is likely to spread

A new study is reporting the development of novel biosensors that can detect the metastatic potential of individual cancer cells. The research is hoped to produce a system that can accurately let doctors know how likely a cancer is to spread, helping inform what treatment to administer.

A specific protein, called NR2F1, could improve treatment of breast cancer and spare patients from unnecessary treatments

Medical

Breakthrough biomarker discovery reveals whether metastatic breast cancer is dormant or deadly

Scientists have discovered a protein than can predict whether a patient’s metastasized breast cancer is dormant or about to turn deadly. The research points to new treatments that may be able to stimulate dormancy in cancer cells before they metastasize.

Researchers have discovered that primary tumors can prevent the growth of secondary tumors by sending the immune system after them

Biology

Primary tumors found to "freeze" spread of secondary cancers

Finding ways to stop metastasis is a key way to improve survival rates for cancer patients. Now researchers have found that primary tumors have their own mechanism for slowing the growth of secondary cancers – which could be tapped into as a new potential treatment option.

Researchers at the Scripps Institute have identified a new protein target for preventing cancer from metastasizing

Medical

Scientists interrupt protein partnership that helps cancer spread

Part of what makes cancer so hard to fight is its ability to quickly spread throughout the body. Now, scientists at the Scripps Research Institute have identified a protein that fuels this process of metastasis, and found that reducing the levels of that protein can help keep a tumor locked down.

New research suggests dietary fat could be a key factor in triggering the fatal metastatic progression of prostate cancer

Science

Limiting dietary fat could help prevent prostate cancer’s fatal metastatic progression

A team from the Cancer Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) has been studying the mechanisms behind the metastatic progression of prostate cancer. They've found that a high-fat diet could play a major role in promoting metastasis of what is generally an "indolent" disease.

A new paper looks at the current state of research into how to prevent cancer from metastasizing, or spreading through the body

Biology

Stopping cancer's spread by uncovering its expansion plan

Cancer often spreads to other organs and parts of the body through a process called metastasis, which, if left unchecked, can be fatal. A new paper is looking at the current state of metastasis research, to help scientists cripple cancer’s ability to spread throughout the body.

A MagSifter chip used to extract CTCs from blood samples

Medical

Sifting cancer cells into a "muffin pan" for better treatment options

Prescribing treatments for lung cancer patients often involves invasive procedures like biopsies. However a new noninvasive blood test could change all this. Better yet, it costs less than $30.

The new understanding of metastasis could lead to the development of improved therapies that help slow or even prevent the spread of tumors

Medical

Secret behind success of breakaway cancer cells uncovered

A team of researchers has made a breakthrough in our understanding of how cancer cells are able to spread around the body and form deadly new tumors. The team found that two proteins work together, exhibiting unusual behaviour that helps keep the cells alive.

Scientists have identified a molecule that's able to prevent metastatic tumor cells (pictured) from developing in laboratory mice, and the findings could lead to new human treatments down the line

Health & Wellbeing

Silencing breast and lung cancer's ability to spread

When metastasis occurs, it significantly lowers the patient's likelihood of survival, but a new discovery could help doctors tackle the process, with researchers form Imperial College London identifying a molecule that shows promise in switching off the process altogether.