Cancer cells can pick up fatty coatings to spread further in the body
Scientists have for eons believed that cancer cells spread to lymph nodes before the bloodstream takes them to distant organs. New research gives insight into why this happens and gives hope for new treatment targets that could halt the spread of cancer.
A study by from Children’s Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern (CRI) and published in the Nature publication has found that melanoma cells that pass through the lymph nodes pick up a protective coating. This coating allows them to survive high levels of oxidative stress in the blood to travel on form distant tumours.
During the study, Morrison’sMorrison’s team injected dyed human melanoma cells in the lymph nodes or veins of 520 mice and traced the cells’ movement through the body. The experiment revealed that more cancer cells survived in the lymph than on the blood, meaning they were more likely to reach distant organs and form tumours. The cells in the blood were more vulnerable to oxidative stress and died,
After that, the team isolated cancer cells from the lymph nodes and blood to seek to understand their different reactions. The scientists found higher levels of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid, within the cancer cells from the lymph nodes. The membranes of the cancer cells in the blood that avoided the stop in the lymph nodes had polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are more prone to damage from oxidative stress. The oleic acid in the cells that passed through lymphatic fluid diluted the polyunsaturated fats. It shielded them from oxidative damage when they later travelled through the blood to distant parts of the body.
The monounsaturated fatty acids picked by the cancer cells as they travel through lymphatic fluid protects them from damage. This enables them to survive long enough to form new tumours. According to Sean Morrison at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, the reason is that blood samples are more comfortable to obtain than lymphatic ones. He added:
“Many people have been studying circulating cancer cells in the blood, but almost nobody has been studying cancer cells as they migrate through lymphatics.”
Tumours take years to reach distant sites in the body or metastasize since most of them will die as they migrate through the bloodstream. Morrison and his team had previously suggested that oxidative stress, referring to the process by which free oxygen radicals damage fatty cell membranes destroys most of the cancer cells. However, scientists are yet to discover why some manage to survive. He said:
“Our data suggest that passing through the lymphatics can promote the survival and spread of melanoma cells by protecting the cells from the oxidative stress they normally experience during metastasis.”
Morrison concludes that the research gives them another target in the fight against cancer progression in patients. Besides the drugs that might disrupt this protective membrane, the team is testing the effect of feeding mice a “cheeseburger diet”, heavy in fats that could keep the membrane vulnerable to damage and slow cancer progression. Morrison added:
“Now that we understand more about why cancer cells are most likely to metastasize initially through lymph, it raises the possibility of treating patients with drugs that target those protective mechanisms in the lymph to inhibit the early stages of metastasis. ” ”
If for any reason, you are worried about changes that aren’t normal, and you’re afraid they are possible signs and symptoms of cancer, you need to contact your physician. Don’tDon’t delay contacting your doctor even if you’re worried about getting COVID-19. You worry, won’t go away unless you make that appointment. Your symptoms might not be related to cancer, but if they are, there are higher chances of successful treatment when they’re picked early. Remember too that you won’t be wasting your doctor’s time.
The coronavirus pandemic means that many people are not seeing their doctors physically. The presence of Telehealth Apps like the Global Telehealth Exchange (GTHE) means you can talk to your doctor via video conference or phone. They will talk to you about your symptoms and tell you if you need to see a GP or prepare for surgery. They could also suggest that you keep an eye on the symptoms and arrange for a physical appointment to check on them after a given period.