New research finds that breast cancer may be triggered by faulty mammary stem cells that are hard to kill with standard chemotherapy, which can lead to a recurrence of the cancer.
Australian scientists at The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne were able to grow a fully functional breast from a stem cell found in female mice. The cell divided and multiplied and was able to produce milk in the normal fashion. The scientists say under normal circumstances, the stem cell would produce healthy tissue, but they believe genetic errors could cause the stem cell to create faulty cells.
This finding helped the researchers understand why some breast cancers return after apparently being eliminated by chemotherapy. They say chemotherapy targets fast-dividing cancer cells, but the stem cells do not reproduce as quickly. When the primary breast cancer is killed, the cells are left behind to continue creating cancer cells.
According to the breastcancer.org website, two-thirds of breast cancers that return in the same breast occur in the same place or right near the original cancer site.
The Australian researchers are now examining tissue from human breast tumors. They say that although there is no proof the cells exist in humans, they are almost certain they do. If the findings apply to people, then the scientists say they will be able to develop drugs to target the abnormal breast stem cells, eliminate the tumors and the source of tissue that causes them.
The researchers also say the discovery could help doctors find a way to use mammary stem cells to grow breast tissue for reconstructive surgery after a mastectomy or for breast enlargement operations.
This study is published in the journal Nature.
This article is from MyDNA.com
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