Science is advancing more and more with respect to cancer treatments, with the aim of reducing the cases of metastasis and mortality. The metastasis is the rapid multiplication of abnormal cells invading and spreading to adjacent parts of the body or other organs. The spread of metastasis is the leading cause of cancer death. Now, a new study published in the journal Naturehas identified what are the malignant cells responsible for relapse in colon cancer, thus causing deaths by metastasis. A group of scientists, led by Eduard Batlle, have discovered how the malignant cells that are shed from the colon reach organs such as the liver or the lung. “We are investigating whether this type of cell also exists in other tumors. In fact, these cells have genetic similarities with those of the most aggressive pancreatic cancer”, says Batlle. At the moment, this clinical trial has been carried out in mice with localized tumors, but the efficacy of the technique in humans has yet to be applied and demonstrated.
“These mice, after the surgical intervention, are cured. They never relapse again”, says the biologist.
Based on this new scientific advance, the researchers want to look for drugs directed against the cells responsible for metastasis with the aim that they can be administered in the future to people with this disease.
90% of cancer deaths are caused by metastasis
According to data published by the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM), Colon cancer is the second most common cancer, only behind breast cancer. Until now, chemotherapy is the most commonly used treatment to treat this disease. The risk factors that increase the probability of suffering from this disease are aging, inflammatory bowel diseases, poor diet or family history. This new scientific advance is added to the one discovered a few weeks ago by scientists from Yale University. In which it was recognized that a bacteria as an enhancer of colon cancer.
However, scientists point out that this is a hopeful test, but it is necessary to continue working and studying to obtain definitive results.
