There seems to be no end to the inventiveness in cancer research – the latest study from Imperial College London even promises to contain its spread. I noticed the TV adverts for Cancer Research have changed from “Together we shall beat cancer” to “Together we are beating cancer”. And in no small part are we beating cancer through Imperial’s work.
Cancer cells can change shape to travel around the body and spread (metastasise), but how they know when to do this has remained elusive. Researchers have now used a new technique to identify two genes that control how melanoma skin cancer cells change shape in response to their environment – offering two potential drug targets to stop it spreading. Cancer cells can become drill-shaped to “poke” through dense tissue such as bone; or round and squishy to squeeze through soft tissues and get into the blood.
The latest study uncovered genes affecting how cells know what environment they are in and therefore which shape to choose. Chris Bakal, professor of cancer at the Institute of Cancer Research, explains: “Once cancer becomes metastatic and spreads to different parts of the body, it can be quite difficult to treat. Hepatitis C: Health alert issued over fears thousands infected with ‘silent killer’ Blood scandal victim demands compensation for patients as they're still dying 'weekly' “This research has given us insight into the tricks that cancer cells are using to keep growing and spreading.
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