Protein that cuts malignancy of breast cancer discovered

0 Comments | AFP, April, 2008

CHICAGO (AFP) — Researchers have discovered a protein which can reduce the malignancy of breast cancer tumors and also predict whether the cancer will metastasize, according to a study published Monday.

"This protein seems to be suppressing tumor growth," said study author Kent Hunter of the National Cancer Institute outside of Washington.

In studies on mice and in gene expression profiles of human cancer cells, Hunter and his team found that they could dramatically slow the growth of breast cancer tumors and prevent the cancer from spreading.

They did this by inserting extra copies of the gene that expresses the protein into the tumor, according to the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

While those tumors were...