Blocking enzyme stops cancer spread

Almaty. February 22. Kazakhstan Today - Scientists have found out that blocking the molecule LOXL2, which plays a key role in cancer spread, could offer new approaches to tackle this problem, Kazakhstan Today reports.

Scientists at the UK's Institute of Cancer Research have prevented breast cancer spreading to other organs in mice by blocking a chemical, BBC News reported.

In their experiments, they showed that blocking the enzyme LOXL2 prevented metastasis.

They said their findings, published in Cancer Research, provided a "fantastic drug target" and were "highly likely" to be used in a clinical setting.

The authors of the report say 90% of cancer deaths are due to tumours migrating around the body.

When they looked at patients with breast cancer, they showed that high levels of the enzyme LOXL2 were linked with cancer spread and poor survival rates.

They also showed that LOXL2 was important in the early stages of cancer spread. It helps cancerous cells escape from the breast tissue and get into the bloodstream.

This laboratory research shows great promise and we look forward to seeing how it translates into patients"

In their studies on mice, they used chemicals and antibodies to block the activity of LOXL2. This stopped breast cancer spreading to other tissues.

Dr Janine Erler, team leader at the Institute of Cancer Research, said: "LOXL2 is a fantastic drug target, it's highly likely to be used in a clinical setting."

She said the findings were not just important for drug development, but also for developing a test, which can predict the likelihood of cancer spreading and as a result, patient outcomes.

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