Jade Goody and her terminal illness have received wide publicity and it just shows the violent way in which cancer consumes a person’s body. The most unfortunate thing about cancer is that people develop cancer even after being treated for a particular type of cancer. For example, you may have a woman who has breast cancer and is successfully treated but within a few months shows signs of abdominal cancer, as an example. This is due to the Cancer metastasis.

The Institute of Cancer Research has found an enzyme called the LOX (lysyl oxidase) which is crucial in promoting metastasis. If one can find a drug that blocks this enzyme, cancer could be avoided from appearing. The research was conducted on mice with breast cancer but researchers are hopeful that a similar drug could be developed for humans with other types of cancer too.

Dr. Janine Erler is a leading researcher who said this development places missing pieces together. Researchers had been trying to find enzymes that act as catalysts to cancer metastasis. Though this may not provide immediate treatment to cancer patients, it is a step in the right direction.

Via: BBC