Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells to distant sites in the body. Essentially, cancer cells from the primary tumour start colonising other parts of the body, facilitating the spread of the disease and eventual death of the patient. Metastasis is what makes cancer so lethal. However, now scientists at the the University of York, Leiden University and Technion have discovered a molecule which prevents tumour cells spreading from a primary cancer site.
New molecule can strengthen tissues surrounding the primary tumour and trap cancer cells from travelling away. Image credit: Wikimedia
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Cancer cells migrate via blood vessels to other tissues, making this disease very difficult to catch and treat. Secondary sites of growth can be virtually anywhere and that is what makes cancer deadly. If we had a way to prevent cancer cells from migrating, this disease would be significantly easier to manage and treat. Now researchers discovered that the small, sugar-like molecule maintains the integrity of tissue around a tumour, which could prevent metastasis.
Metastasis form because cancer cells are able to detach from the primary tumour site and pass through blood vessel walls. However, long chain-like molecules known as heparan sulphates can stabilise the integrity of the extracellular space. When heparan sulphates are digested by an enzyme called heparanase, the space around cells becomes weak and cancer cells can detach and float away. Unsurprisingly, metastatic cancer cells produce large amounts of heparanase enzyme. But now scientists have this target locked.
Scientists have developed and tested a new sugar-like molecule, which disables heparanase enzyme’s ability to cut heparin sugar chains around cells. This molecule could make tumour surrounding tissues too strong and healthy for cancer cells to spread. Initial testing in mouse models revealed that this new molecule is effective in lung cancer, breast cancer and blood cancer.
While this research is showing a lot of promise, scientists warn people against premature optimism. Professor Hermen Overkleeft, lead author of the study, said: “Now we have to find out whether the compound is stable, safe for the human body, ends up in the right place in sufficient quantities, and so on. That takes a couple of years, it may come to nothing and someone has to be willing to take that financial risk.”
This discovery is not going to solve cancer. However, it can prevent it from forming secondary tumours, which are oftentimes a huge complication in the progression of the disease. It will be years till this molecule reaches clinical use, but it might be a very important breakthrough in cancer treatment.
Source: University of York