| ■ Gene Promotes Spread of Cancer: Study | 2011.01.27 |
| Scientists who discovered a gene that helps promote the spread of cancer within the body say blocking the gene would keep cancer confined to the original site. The WWP2 gene is linked to the breakdown of an inhibitor (Smad7) that normally keeps cells in check. Experiments with tissue cultures showed that cancer progresses quickly and spreads when Smad7 is not present, said the team at the University of East Anglia in the U.K. They also found that blocking WWP2 prevented the spread of cancer, BBC News reported. The study appears in the journal Oncogene. |