Breast cancer: a New approach against metastasis

Metastases are feared in the case of breast cancer. In a large-scale study of over 2,000 drug, researchers at the University have identified in Basel are substances that inhibit the formation of metastases. In a clinical study is now to be examined whether the results from the laboratory are transferable to humans.

Sometimes the cancer cells of a tumor to enter the blood. The circulating tumor cells can occur in small groups, which are considered to be precursors of metastases. Basel scientists have searched for substances that inhibit these groups to education, so that no metastases occur. They studied the effect of 2.486 drugs approved in the United States. They discovered some that are in the position, the cell groups to resolve and prevent the formation of metastases.

"We wanted to pursue a different strategy than conventional approaches, and have been looking for drugs, the cancer cells do not kill, but simply trennen", Professor Nicola Aceto, head of the Department of cancer metastasis at the University of Basel says. "Without the collaboration with outstanding clinicians, molecular biologists and computer biologists, as well as the support provided by state of the art technology platforms would not have been this ambitious approach is possible. We are already working on the next step, a clinical trial with breast cancer patients."

If patients with breast cancer to form metastases, they are considered to be terminally ill. 90 percent of deaths from breast cancer are due to metastases.

ZOU