Posted on 03/14/2023 11:56:53 AM PDT by ConservativeMind
Scientists have discovered why breast cancer cells that have spread to the lungs may "wake up" following years of sleep, forming incurable secondary tumors.
Their research reveals the mechanism that triggers this breast cancer "time bomb"—and suggests a strategy to defuse it.
Patients with estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer—the most common type—have a continued risk of their cancer recurring in another part of their body for many years or even decades after their original diagnosis and treatment.
When breast cancer cells spread from the first cancer in the breast to other parts of the body it is called secondary or metastatic breast cancer and although treatable, it can't be cured.
The new research showed how molecular changes within the lung that occur during aging can support the growth of these secondary tumors.
The team found that the PDGF-C protein, which is present in the lung, plays a key role in influencing whether inactive breast cancer cells stay asleep or "wake up."
They discovered that if the level of PDGF-C increases, which is more likely in an aging lung or when its tissue becomes damaged or scarred, it can cause the dormant cancer cells to grow and develop into secondary breast cancer.
The researchers then explored whether blocking PDGF-C activity could prevent the "reawakening" of these cells and the growth of secondary tumors.
Working with mice with ER+ tumors, researchers targeted PDGF-C signaling with an existing cancer growth blocker called imatinib, which is currently used to treat patients with chronic myeloid leukemia.
The mice were treated with the drug both before and after the tumors had developed. For both groups, the cancer growth in the lung was significantly reduced.
Up to 80% of primary breast cancers are ER+ and there are around 44,000 cases in the U.K. each year.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
The drug is available, today.
Another answer is more breast feeding of infants. Breast milk is highly nutritious and cancer cells love to grow there. Best to use it up for the infants.
Ditto with prostate. Eating too much high fat and high protein red meat cause prostate to make more highly ntritious juice in which sperms can survive for many days.
Where do they come up with these names?
Just throw a bunch of scrabble letters into the air and see where the consonants and vowels land?
Eating too much high fat and high protein red meat cause prostate to make more highly ntritious juice in which sperms can survive for many days.
Link(s)?
Thanks for the info. I’m a “walking time bomb” after a 2014 mastectomy. Always waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Rigorous massage is the only effective means
OK, what is a ‘Secondary Breast’?
Common sense does not require links. Semen is mostly fat and proteins.
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