2012 CVM News: Stopping the spread of cancer

Abstract

This news item is about: A cancer cell (bottom right) producing and shedding microvesicles packed with cancerous cargo. Shed microvesicles travel between cells and attach to a normal cell (upper left) to unload their cargo and begin turning the normal cell cancerous. Surprise packages sent by cancer cells can turn normal cells cancerous, but Cornell scientists have found a way to keep their cargo from ever leaving port. Published in Oncogene in January 2012, their study demonstrates the parcels’ cancer-causing powers, describes how they are made, and reveals a way to jam production. Treatments that follow suit could slow tumor growth and metastasis, the spread of cancer to new parts of the body.