Breast Cancer Metastasis Prevention

Breast cancer is the number one most common cancer diagnosed in women with over 117 new cases per 100,000 women. Surprisingly, many of these patients are not in jeopardy from the breast cancer but from the metastasis of the cancer. It leads to more aggressive cancer, which is the reason why methods to prevent metastasis are the main focus. The institute of Cancer Research suggest that blocking the lysl oxidase-like 2 (LOXL2) enzyme might prevent the spread of breast cancer, which could lead to longer lives for patients. The enzyme LOXL2 promotes the spread of breast cancer to surrounding tissues by regulating the production of enzyme MMP-9 involved in tissue breakdown and TIMP-1 acting to prevent the action of MMP-9. Studies have shown that cultures rich in LOXL2 are linked to breast cancer metastasis and have decreased survival. Along with this, animal studies have shown that blocking this enzyme decreased the spread of breast cancer cells to other tissues like the lungs, bone and liver. With this finding, physicians have the opportunity to provide targeted and individualized breast cancer treatment. For the patients were the cancer has already spread, then inhibiting LOXL2 might help reduce additional breast cancer metastasis with drugs that can effectively block the action or production of this enzyme.

In addition to blocking this enzyme, it has been rumored that developing a test to measure LOXL2 levels could be used to predict patients who will develop a more aggressive form of the cancer. This would help patients at greater danger get the treatment they need possibly in the earlier stages of its progression.

Many other cancers, colon, esophageal and squamous, have been linked to LOXL2 and could lead to more treatments for other cancers.

http://breastcancerfightnowbydraarontabor.blogspot.com/2011/02/blocking-key-enzyme-might-prevent.html

http://www.icr.ac.uk/press/press_archive/press_releases_2011/17366.shtml