Aspirin may prevent cancer tumours spreading according to new research developed by scientists at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.
Co-author, Melbourne scientist Dr Tara Karnezis said this research is a breakthrough for new research in cancer treatments and the management of patients.
“One of the most important things that came out of this research is that … there are commonly available drugs that could be used to target this pathway,” says Dr Karnezis, and by doing this ultimately stop the spread of cancer.
Dr Karnezis said tumours secreted proteins and compounds called growth factors attracting blood and lymphatic vessels to their vicinity, allowing the cancer to flourish and spread. These growth factors also encouraged lymphatic vessels – or “supply lines” – to widen, which enabled the spread of cancer.
“This discovery unlocks a range of potentially powerful new therapies to target this pathway in lymphatic vessels, effectively tightening a tumour’s supply lines and restricting the transport of cancer cells to the rest of the body.”
This discovery could lead to the development of better and more efficient drugs.
“Most fatalities that occur in patients with cancer is due to the spread – in some cases, yes, growth causes morbidity – but it’s the spread of the cancer that causes fatalities, so you have to try and attack it from both ends,” says Dr Karnezis.
“You have to try and reduce the growth of the tumour but at the same time you have to stop it from spreading as that’s the most lethal aspect of it.”
