Key Jigsaw Piece in Cancer Discovered
06 January 2009 - Scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research have discovered a crucial piece in the cancer jigsaw, identifying one key enzyme responsible for allowing cancer to spread.
The research discovered that the LOX enzyme is crucial in promoting metastasis, the spreading of cancer from its original location, which is responsible for 90 per cent of cancer-related deaths.
Lead researcher, Dr Janine Erler said the research identified how to prevent a cancer from establishing itself in a new area of the body.
“This is the crucial missing piece in the jigsaw that scientists have been searching for and is the first time one key enzyme has been identified as being responsible for effectively allowing the cancer to spread. If we can interrupt the body’s ability to prepare new locations for the cancer to spread to, we can effectively prevent cancer metastasis. Cancer metastasis is very difficult to treat and this new discovery provides real hope that we can develop a drug which will fight the spreading of cancer.”
The Institute of Cancer Research hopes to use the discovery of how LOX works, in aiding the spread of cancer, to develop new drug treatments to prevent cancer metastasis. The researchers looked specifically at breast cancer, but there is evidence that LOX is also crucial for metastasis in other common cancers.
