Scientists at the Oncology Research Institute of the Tomsk National Research Medical Center (TNRMC) discovered a cell population of unknown origin in the blood of breast cancer patients. An increase in the number of these cells has been found to be associated with a higher risk of disease metastasis. The Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation told socialbites.ca about this.
During the study, using flow cytometry, a new population of freely circulating CD24+ tumor cells was discovered, detached from the main focus and floating freely in the bloodstream.
“The number of circulating CD24+ cells increased both in patients with existing metastases and in patients with metastases that arose during the observation period,” said Professor Vladimir Perelmuter, head of the interdisciplinary research team and principal investigator of the department of general and Molecular Pathology Research. Institute of Oncology, Tomsk National Research Medical Center.
Scientists determined the phenotype of the detected cells and calculated a threshold value for them – 218.3 units per ml of blood. Detection of a new CD24+ population at higher concentrations before treatment predicted a 12-fold increase in the risk of breast cancer metastasis as well as a three-fold decrease in metastasis-free survival over the five-year follow-up period.
Determining the origin of the discovered cell population remains unclear to scientists; This is the main task of the research currently being carried out. The researchers hypothesized that the new circulating CD24+ cells were either a specific type of tumor cell or immature cells of bone marrow origin. They added that the discovered cells can be viewed as determinants of metastasis development and can also be considered as potential targets for the development of new methods to prevent cancer metastasis by disseminating tumor cells through blood vessels.
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Source: Gazeta
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