Researchers develop new methods to combat aggressive cancer metastasis

Researchers have made significant strides in understanding and potentially preventing the spread of aggressive cancers. In Sweden, a team led by Professor Maréne Landström at Umeå University has developed an experimental fully human antibody designed to target aggressive prostate cancer. In preclinical research, the antibody interfered with a newly identified signaling process used by cancer cells to survive and grow, effectively slowing tumor growth and preventing metastasis to bones and lymph nodes.

In Australia, scientists from Adelaide University and the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute identified a molecular driver in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The study found that low levels of the molecule miR-342, combined with high activity in the E2F pathway, correlate with increased metastatic disease. Preclinical models showed that restoring miR-342 levels reduced the spread of cancer to organs like the lungs and bones. Additionally, the research suggests that the existing drug palbociclib may be repurposed to treat this specific subtype of breast cancer.