Colon cancer cells
Scientists have discovered a new way in which colorectal (colon) cancer becomes more aggressive. Cells can become plastic in colon cancer, enabling them to migrate from the colon to other organs, including the liver, according to a new study published in the journal Cell Stem Cell. The discovery could pave the way for future therapy which would prevent cancer from spreading before it can become life threatening.
Colorectal cancer is a leading form of cancer in the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that it is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths, is usually diagnosed when the disease has become advanced, and it is caused by the build-up of toxins in the body.
A protein called GATA6 is essential for maintaining stability and health of colon cells, according to researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). GATA6 maintains normal cell behavior much like an "identity keeper.
In normal colon cells, however, a drop in GATA6 causes the cancer cells to lose the cells' original identity and to become the less developed fetal-like colon cells. The altered cells are then more malleable and can more easily spread to other parts of the body, survive in a new location and grow a tumour in another organ, like the liver.
Once a tumour starts to spread, it is difficult to treat. Most cancers from colorectal cancer cause death when cancer cells spread (metastasize).
What was also interesting was that scientists discovered this change is not primarily due to new genetic mutations. It occurs rather by epigenetic change, in a manner that turns genes on or off without altering their DNA. It indicates that treatments directed at these reversible changes might help to stop the spread of cancer.
Restoring GATA6 function, or targeting the pathways that are altered with its loss, could help prevent colorectal cancer cells from metastasizing, said the study.
While promising, currently this research is being conducted in the laboratory. Further more research and clinical trials are required before treatments based on this discovery are available for patients.
According to Mayo Clinic, people with these symptoms should consult a doctor:
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