Cancer researchers at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tenn., say they have found the key receptor that plays a role in the spread of glioblastoma multiforme, a very aggressive kind of brain tumor.
People who have glioblastomas have a low survival rate. Cancer Research UK, a London-based cancer charity, reports that about six out of every 100 people diagnosed with the fast-spreading tumors live for more than three years.
The Vanderbilt researchers say that their discovery could lead to treatment options to prevent the cancerous cells from moving to other organs.
They are calling the receptor CXCR4. This receptor, which is found in white blood cells, has also been linked to other cancers. It regulates the movement of cells in the immune system. The researchers linked the receptor to cell invasion in glioblastoma in animal models.
"This is potentially a very, very big discovery," said Thomas B. Tucker, M.D., chair of the General Oncology Channel for Revolution Health Group's Medical Advisory Board. "Discovering how this cancer - and possibly others - spreads could open up targeted therapies to prevent that spread from happening.
"The caveat, at this point, is that this is still in the phase of animal studies - many promising discoveries in animals turn out to be of no help in real live human beings," Tucker added.
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