It was found 23 genes responsible for metastasis of cancer

Scientists have discovered 23 genes that control how cancer invades the body. And it gives hope for new treatments for cancer.

The spread, or metastasis of cancer tumors is a major cause of death in cancer patients. And now they have hope after scientists have discovered 23 new genes that control the spread of cancer. These data can be the basis for new drugs to suspend the progression of tumors. The impact of only one of the genes called Spns2 resulted in the reduction of cancer metastasis by three quarters as told experts from Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in the UK.

These results were achieved in experiments on laboratory mice, but scientists are very optimistic, because this kind of success can be extended to humans. Note that die from metastases of more than 90% of cancer patients. Nevertheless, the process by which tumors move throughout the body, is still not very well understood science. It is in order to understand which genes control cancer metastasis, the scientists followed this process in genetically modified mice.

A total of 810 have attracted the attention of researchers gene. 23 of them directly affect the metastasis of skin cancer in the direction of light. Some genes accelerates this process, and some of his stops. It turned out that many of these genes also affect the immune system, altering the body's ability to fight infections.

It was found that the removal of Spns2 gene leads to the most significant changes. It has reduced the degree of tumor spread to the lungs is about 4 times. Then scientists observed the effect of this gene on metastasis of other tumors, including intestine, lung and breast. the same results in reducing the rate of metastasis of all forms of dangerous diseases were obtained.