Scientists find protein that makes breast cancer resistant to radiation
Years of medical research have provided a variety of treatments to breast cancer patients, including those who buy Canadian Tamoxifen at a fraction of the cost.
Years of medical research have provided a variety of treatments to breast cancer patients, including those who buy Canadian Tamoxifen at a fraction of the cost. However, some cancer cell mechanisms make them resistant to certain medical approaches. A new study shows how the protein HOXB9 can make breast cancer resilient in spite of radiation treatment.
Cancer is a disease characterized by abnormal cell division. Breast cancer is one of the leading malignancies that may affect women. In 2010, the National Cancer Institute estimated that more than 207,000 women were newly diagnosed, while nearly 40,000 died. Radiation may be an effective treatment, but scientists discovered that the protein HOXB9 sets off a chain reaction that helps cancer cells survive.
"When the tumor is exposed to radiation it induces DNA damage - a phenomenon that results in formation of double-stranded DNA breaks - leading the cells to respond and try to repair the damage caused in the DNA using another mechanism called the DNA damage response," said researcher Maria Vivanco. If cancer cells can repair DNA damage, they can continue to thrive.
The new study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, adds to previous research that demonstrated that high HOXB9 activity corresponds to high breast tumor grades. This knowledge can help doctors find a better way to treat patients.
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