Cancer Spreads With Envoys

Posted on December 15, 2005

Scientists have made a significant breakthrough in how cancer metastasis to spread in the body. They found that cancer tumors send out envoys to prepare a new organ or tissue for infection. This will give scientists and drug companies a method for preventing cancer -- by targeting the envoys. An MSNBC.com article explains how the envoys work.

"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."

The MSNBC article says the cancer needs the landing pad in place to be able to spread to the new organ. It seems logical that preventing these envoys and preventing new landing pads should keep cancer from spreading. But big questions remain like how frequently do cancer tumors send out envoys and how easily are the landing pads created? There are also questions as to what the differences might be among different types of cancer. But information is progress so this breakthrough should be welcomed as great news in the fight against cancer.