A new research study has come out with an interesting revelation. The white blood cells, helpful in fighting infections can activate the Cancer spreading cells.Senior author of the study, Dr. Lorenzo Ferri, MUHC director of the Division of Thoracic Surgery and the Upper Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancer Program said, “We are the first to identify this entirely new way that cancer spreads”.
A new research study has come out with an interesting revelation. The white blood cells, helpful in fighting infections can activate the Cancer spreading cells.
Senior author of the study, Dr. Lorenzo Ferri, MUHC director of the Division of Thoracic Surgery and the Upper Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancer Program said, “We are the first to identify this entirely new way that cancer spreads”.
He also explained and said, “What’s equally exciting is medications already exist that are being used for other non-cancer diseases, which may prevent this mechanism of cancer spread or metastasis,” .
This new research study and the consecutive steps taken will help determine the optimal timing and the dosage of the medicine which will in-turn be useful in the overall prevention and the treatment of the cancer metastasis, according to Dr. Ferri.
Study details:
In order to substantiate the findings of the study, Dr. Ferri along with his colleagues from McGill University and the University of Calgary, they used mouse models and cultured cells and showed the correlation between a white blood cell response, an infection and cancer metastasis.
The white blood cells are responsible for fighting infection. NET’s ( Neutrophils Extracellular Traps), which is a web like network that is produced by the white blood cells to fight the infection, a response which is responsible for killing and trading invading bacteria and pathogens.
In order break the neutrophil web, certain medication is used and this was also part of the research study performed by Dr. Ferri and his colleagues.
Findings:
It was further found that if the mice who were diagnosed with cancer were given the medication, the amount of tumour growth was less and also the metastasis.
The research was performed for various cancer types, and the only finding that came to light was the involvement of neutrophil webs in the spreading of the cancers.
Dr. Ferri said, “Our study reflects a major change in how we think about cancer progression and, more importantly, how we can treat it,”.
