The research into breast cancer continues and a recent study completed by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine offers hope of finding why breast cancer metastasizes, or spreads, throughout the body.

According to the study a protein called palladin was found in more aggressive and invasive types of breast cancer. The study compared four types of breast cancer that were invasive to four types of non-invasive cancer. The levels of palladin were found to be higher in those cancers that were considered to be invasive.

If scientists can discover how to minimize palladin, they may be able to prevent or reduce the spread of cancer throughout the body. The main researcher, Carol Otey, PhD, indicated that "most women would never die from breast cancer if the cancer cells couldn't metastasize to the brain and bone marrow.

Otey hopes her research, as well as future research, would allow doctors to determine the presence of palladin and for those tumors, prescribe a more aggressive treatment plan.

This recent study provides valuable information scientists can use to build upon in finding more effective treatments for breast cancer.

Sources:

Clue to Stopping Breast-cancer Metastasis Discovered, 2008, Nov 18, ScienceDaily