Biologists identify a cellular pathway that allows colorectal cancer to metastasize
They also found that obesity may put patients at higher risk for activation of the pathway. Drugs that block the pathway may help prevent metastasis.
Colon cancer deaths are often caused by the spread of tumor cells to other parts of the body, most commonly the liver. A recent study conducted by MIT biologists has identified a cellular pathway responsible for colorectal cancer metastasis, which is controlled by a protein named YAP1. YAP1 is typically involved in tissue repair and is activated in cancer cells, promoting cell proliferation and migration.
The researchers also discovered that a high-fat diet increases the likelihood of activating this pathway, through the production of fatty molecules called ceramides. Blocking ceramide production could potentially prevent metastasis in patients diagnosed with colon cancer. Omer Yilmaz, the study's senior author, explains that this pathway could be a promising target for drug development.
The study reveals that YAP1 activation enables cancer cells to break free from the original tumor site and spread to other parts of the body, with the liver being the most common site of metastasis in colon cancer cases.
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