Scientists have discovered a method to try to prevent the appearance of metastasis after treatment of breast cancer. Even after a year of resection and treatment of the primary tumor, it is common for cancer cells to spread to other places, mainly to the lungs.
According to the study carried out by researchers at the Institute of Cancer Research in the United Kingdom and published by the scientific journal Nature (access here), estrogen receptor (ER) positive patients are at risk for metastasis to secondary sites.
The PDGF-C protein, located in the lungs, increases in quantity as individuals age or when tissue becomes damaged or scarred. From this, the presence of the protein favors the growth of secondary cancer cells, according to information from the The globe.
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From research carried out with mice with ER+ tumors, researchers were able to block the growth of the protein from the use of imatinib, a drug aimed at patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia, which significantly reduced metastatic growth in other parts of the body.
The animals were treated with the drug before and after the tumors developed, resulting in a significant reduction in cancer.
Professor Clare Isacke, who teaches Molecular and Cellular Biology at ICR, said the next step is to understand when and how these age-related changes occur.
“This is a great step towards our understanding of advanced breast cancer – and how and why breast cancer cells form secondary tumors in the lungs. Next, we need to identify when these age-related changes happen and how they vary between people, so that we can create treatment strategies that prevent the ‘awakening’ of cancer cells,” he said in note published on the ICR website.
Simon Vincent, director of research, advocacy and influence at Breast Cancer Now (sponsor of the research) analyzed the impact of the study on the lives of patients.
“This exciting discovery brings us closer to understanding how we can slow or stop the development of ER+ secondary breast cancer in the lung. In the future, this has the potential to benefit thousands of women living with this ‘ticking time bomb’, ensuring that fewer patients receive the devastating news that the disease has spread”, he added, in an interview with ICR.
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