Scientists from the Belgian Institute of Biotechnology Flanders have determined the mechanism by which metastases of cancerous tumors are formed. As it turned out, the main role in this mechanism is played by fat, which takes part in the formation of new lymphatic vessels. It is through these vessels that malignant cells penetrate into other organs and tissues.
The main cause of death among people with cancer is metastases. In order for cancer cells to be able to penetrate into healthy tissues and organs, they need emerging or already existing channels, in particular, lymphatic vessels, which are formed from blood vessels. For such a transformation to occur, as scientists have established, it is necessary to use fatty deposits in the cells, from which molecules are formed that affect the factors that regulate the activity of certain genes.
Scientists argue that the emergence of new drugs can prevent the use of fats to form new lymphatic vessels, and this is already an important step in the development of methods and methods for suppressing metastases.
The researchers intend to test various fat use inhibitors to determine their ability to suppress metastasis in various types of cancer. In addition, they intend to test dietary supplements that contain fat to determine if they will help repair damaged lymphatic vessels.