Cancer is one of the most formidable health challenges of our time, affecting nearly half of us during our lives. While treatments have significantly improved in recent decades, the biggest challenge remains: stopping cancer cells from spreading to other parts of the body, a process known as metastasis. Metastasis is responsible for most cancer-related deaths, therefore it is critical to understand the process in order to be able to improve treatment.

A research team led by Dr. Elena Rainero from the School of Biosciences has made an important discovery about how cancer cells migrate. In their study, published in PLOS Biology, they focused on the ability of cancer cells from breast, ovarian, and pancreatic tumours to move through the body by "eating" their way through the tissue matrix—a scaffold that supports organs and tissues. This process allows the cells to escape their original tumour and spread to other areas.

The matrix is a dense structure that supports organs and tissues, but cancer cells are able to break down parts of it and move through the body. By studying this process in advanced 3D lab models that closely resemble real tumours, the research team identified specific molecules that cancer cells use to digest and move through the matrix. These molecules act as key regulators, enabling cancer cells to spread to new areas.

When these molecules were blocked, the cancer cells' ability to migrate and invade surrounding tissue was significantly reduced.

"We strongly believe that the ability of cells to eat the matrix that surrounds them is a key feature of cancer cells, and represents a novel and exciting therapeutic target, potentially leading to improved treatments for breast and pancreatic cancer patients in the future," says Dr. Rainero.

The findings open new avenues for cancer treatment. One of the regulators identified, a molecule called a2b1 integrin, is of particular interest. By understanding how to block a2b1 integrin, researchers hope to slow or stop the spread of cancer, particularly in breast cancer patients.

Dr. Rainero and her team will study how blocking a2b1 integrin affects breast cancer growth and spread. These studies will be conducted using lab-grown cells, and patient samples with the ultimate goal of translating these findings into therapies that could benefit patients.