What is the cause of breast cancer progression?

A new study from the University of South Australia (UniSA) has found a link between invasive breast cancer cells and protein density on the cell surface. This protein interaction has been observed in animal and human cells "This study provides important information about the mechanism of breast cancer progression from benign breast cancer to invasive cancer," said Valentina Poltavets, one of the researchers in the project. Breast cancer affects more than 3.2 million women worldwide every year. Invasive breast cancer is responsible for more than 40% of all cancer-related deaths in women. There is currently no cure for metastatic tumors. That is why it is so important to come up with a new treatment that can attack the spread of breast cancer to other parts of the body. CXCR4 and CCR7 proteins alone are found in many cell types, including breast cancer cells. But in more aggressive and metastatic breast cancer cells, they are wired together to send specific signals that cause the cells to grow and move quickly. The research team developed a system that forces these proteins to interact on the surface of non-aggressive breast cancer cells and has shown how it makes cancer cells more aggressive. Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, 98% of breast screenings across Australia have been canceled or postponed, putting thousands of women at greater risk. Although research continues to improve breast cancer survival rates. But more investment is needed to deal with this difficult cancer. There is no doubt that more research will improve our understanding of breast cancer. We are determined to move forward step by step to find a cure for this devastating disease." Source