Modifying Molecules May Stop Cancer Metastasis
New research indicates a potential solution to stop cancer metastasis by restoring microRNA to cancerous tumors.
They found that in certain aggressive cancers, some of these microRNAs are missing, allowing the aggressive spread of the cancer. When they restored these microRNAs to human breast cancers in laboratory mice, the cancer stopped spreading.
The researchers also found these same microRNAs were missing from human breast cancer cells taken from women whose tumors had spread.
"We think these microRNAs will help us to know if this is an aggressive tumor or not," Tavazoie said in a telephone interview.
"If it is, we will need to treat this woman with very aggressive therapy and we will need to be diligent about watching it," he said, adding that it may help doctors decide whether some women with less aggressive tumors can skip chemotherapy. (source)
Good news for cancer patients, but the application in humans looks to be a long time coming.
Tags: womens health, woman, health, cancer, breast cancer, genetics, molecules, metastasis
Related Stories
POSTED IN: Breast cancer, Cancer, Medicine, New research, Women's Issues
.gif)
1 opinion for Modifying Molecules May Stop Cancer Metastasis
New Breast Cancer Screening and Hormonal Effects on Breast Cancer Risk
Jan 22, 2008 at 5:36 pm
[…] Modifying Molecules May Stop Cancer Metastasis […]
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: