Protein that Cuts Tumour Malignancy

April 24th, 2008

Researchers have discovered a protein which can reduce the malignancy of breast cancer tumors and also predict whether the cancer will metastasize, according to a study published on Monday.

“This protein seems to be suppressing tumor growth,” said study author Kent Hunter of the National Cancer Institute in Washington.

In studies on mice and in gene expression profiles of human cancer cells, Hunter found they could dramatically slow the growth of breast cancer tumors and prevent the cancer from spreading.

They did this by inserting extra copies of the gene that expresses the protein into the tumor, according to the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences .

Those tumors grew to one tenth of the size of those which had not been stimulated to overproduce the protein. They also had molecular profiles of significantly less malignant tumors and did not spread.

The presence of this protein could also be used to predict which patients are at risk of metastasis, he said.

Sources: The Times Of India