Reasons for Cancer Spread Found in Protein

An article released yesterday by Reuters News Service and found in the Journal of Nature indicated that Austrian and Canadian researchers have identified and blocked a protein called RANKL, which is linked to cancer spread. The protein is found in bone marrow cells and was found to be a chief cause for cancer spread in mice because it sends signals attracting tumor cells to the bones. Cancer that has spread beyond its original area, which is called metastasis, is more difficult to treat. Metastasis causes a great deal of pain in cancer victims.

This finding explains why cancer cells can spread to bones and suggests that interfering with this process may stop the spread. Mice treated with a drug to block RANKL had fewer tumors in their bones than the untreated control group. However, the drug was not successful at stopping the spread of cancer to other places in the body. This finding relates to breast cancer cells, which often contain receptors for RANKL. The drug may improve the quality of life in patients if metastasis can be stopped. Researchers stress that these findings need further examination because the drug was tested only on mice.

The article suggested that there may be other proteins that are possibly involved in the spread of tumors, since RANKL only seems to be associated with cancer spread to the bones. It will be interesting to see if any other proteins, with further research, are identified that cause cancer to spread to other parts of the body. Perhaps then, like this experiment, drugs can be found to prevent their spread, making it easier to treat patients with different types of cancer. More information about RANKL, including its function and its signaling pathway can be found here.