Scientists may have a breakthrough in understanding for the first time the mechanism behind the spread of cancer cells in different parts of the body.
In a new study from the University College London, scientists described the spread of cancer in the body as the function of healthy and malignant cells in a so-called "chase-and-run" phenomenon. Scientists have known that cancer spreads through cells by interacting with healthy cells and moving about different parts of the body. The main focus of the study was to understand how the malignant cells attack the healthy cells so new therapies can be developed to prevent this from happening.
For this study, researchers chose embryonic cells called "neural crest cells" in place of cancer cells and placode cells, which mimic the healthy cells. The neural crest cells started to chase the placode cells when placed next to each other. The neural crest cells demonstrated the "chase" behavior, while the placode cells tried escaping.
Researchers found that the healthy cells leave a trail of chemical molecules, which are attracted by the cancer cells resulting in the spread of the disease to different parts.
"The findings suggest an alternative way in which cancer treatments might work in the future if therapies can be targeted at the process of interaction between malignant and healthy cells to stop cancer cells from spreading and causing secondary tumors," Dr Roberto Mayor, UCL Department of Cell and Developmental Biology and lead author of the research, said in press release.
Cancer is the leading cause of deaths worldwide. And researches have been relentlessly searching for new and effective cures for cancer. More than 1,660,290 men and women are likely to be diagnosed with cancer by the end of 2013, according to the National Cancer Institute estimates. One in every four deaths in the U.S. is caused by cancer and is the second most common cause of death, according to the American Cancer Society. The health and economic cost of cancer in the U.K. last year topped more than $24 billion, says an Oxford University analysis.
The findings of the study were published in Nature Cell Biology.
