Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, found that breast cancer cells can spread by releasing small sacs called exosomes that contain proteins that promote the growth of new blood vessels. These new blood vessels provide the cancer cells with the oxygen and nutrients they need to grow and spread.
The researchers found that the exosomes were able to promote the growth of new blood vessels in mice, and that blocking the release of exosomes from breast cancer cells prevented the spread of the disease.
The discovery could lead to new treatments for breast cancer that target the release of exosomes. Such treatments could help prevent the spread of cancer and improve the survival of patients.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, with an estimated 281,550 new cases and 43,600 deaths in 2021. The disease spreads when cancer cells break away from the primary tumor and travel through the blood or lymphatic system to other parts of the body.
The new research provides a potential explanation for how breast cancer spreads, and could lead to new treatments to prevent the spread of the disease.
