“Invadopodia” Involved in Cancer Metastasis

the Cancer Therapy Advisor take:

According to a new study published in the journal Cell Reports, researchers from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, and the Lawson Health Research Institute in London, Ontario, found that "invadopodia," tentacle-like structures, play a significant role in cancer metastasis.

Previous research has demonstrated that cancer cells can produce these structures in order for the cells to extend themselves to probe and alter their environment; however, their ability to help the cancer cells escape into the bloodstream has been uncertain.

In the study, researchers injected fluorescent cancer cells into the bloodstream and observed the cells using high-resolution imaging. They found that the cancer cells formed "invadopodia," which they then used to enter the bloodstream and invade surrounding organs. Furthermore, by genetically modifying the cells and drug treatment, the researchers were able to inhibit the cancer cells from forming the "invadopodia," thereby blocking any attempt for the cancer to metastasize.

The research suggests that a form of treatment can be designed to inhibit the formation of "invadopodia," effectively stopping cancer cells to spread. According to John Lewis, PhD, from the University of Alberta, metastasis is responsible for approximately 90% of cancer-related deaths.