Cancer researchers have discovered how cancer spreads. The new research has shown that cancerous cells send out scouting cells or agents that find and prepare new sites to which the cancer can spread. The spreading cancer is called metastasis. Now researchers are trying to discover how to prevent metastasis, or treating patients in whom metastasis has already occurred. It is when a cancer spreads to other organs that it becomes all the more difficult to treat. From the article:
"The authors show that tumor cells can mobilize normal bone marrow cells, causing them to migrate to particular regions and change the local environment so as to attract and support a developing metastasis," Patricia Steeg, of the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, said in a commentary.
Cells at the site of the metastasis multiply and produce a protein called fibronectin, which acts like a glue to attract and trap the bone marrow cells to create a landing pad or nest for the cancer cells.
"These nests provide attachment factors for the tumor cells to implant and nurture them. It causes them not only to bind but to proliferate. Once that all takes place we have a fully formed metastatic site or secondary tumor," said Lyden.
"This is the first time anyone has discovered what we call the pre-metastatic niche."
You know, in high school I always dreamed of going to IWU, getting my degree in biology, then going on to research cancer and find the cure. How naïve I was back then. At this point, I’d settle for reporting about the cure for cancer.
For some reason, when I read the title to this post, I thought it was going to be about a ban on cancer cells. Maybe putting up a “No Trespassing” sign, or spreading the word that cancer cells are simply not permitted. I don’t know; I guess there’s something wrong with me. Oh, and GO TITANS!!! Or something like that.