Breast cancer certainly has nefarious means of spreading and becoming more difficult to treat. In a new study, for example, it's been found out that it changes the structure of bones.
A team of cancer experts from the University of Sheffield has recently concluded that breast cancers have a certain way of metastasizing including causing undue damage to the bone that its structure changes.
In an experiment they conducted with mice wherein they tried to mimic the spread of secondary cancers (cancers that develop usually due to metastasis), they discovered that a certain enzyme known as LOX prevents the bones from rebuilding themselves. Rather, it leaves them with many lesions and holes and stops them from doing any repair. LOX is significantly present in patients suffering from secondary cancer.
But how does this relate to breast cancer? According to statistics, breast cancer commonly spreads to the bone. In fact, it happens in more than 80% of the reported cases. The release of LOX therefore creates a "fertile ground" for the tumors to change the bone structure and use is to spread to other parts of the body.
The discovery is currently considered as a major breakthrough and a potentially new avenue for further research. This means that by preventing the production of LOX and arresting the modification of the bones, doctors have a bigger chance of preventing breast cancer cells from spreading.
True enough, medications such as those given for osteoarthritis have the possibility of also treating the cancer.
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer afflicting women in many parts of the world. Although the 5-year survival rate is so much better than 30 years ago at almost 90%, it dips to only 25% when cancer has already metastasized or has become distant. When it remains localized, the chance of survival is 98%. Metastasis to the bone, on the other hand, leaves patients in extreme pain and a very high risk of fractures.
