New evidence on the spread of cancer cells has been found. A global research team identifies a potential new medication target to halt the lethal metastases that cause 90% of cancer deaths. A worldwide study that throws new light on how cancer is able to spread throughout the body included contributions from oncology researcher John Lewis and his colleagues, whose expertise in cancer cell imaging is unmatched in the world.
The Lewis group was asked to participate in the experiment run by scientists at Johns Hopkins University because of its proficiency in photographing human cancer cells in real-time motion using the membrane from fertilized chicken eggs that resembles a placenta.
John D. Lewis professor and Bird Dogs Chair in Translational Oncology at the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, asserts that “I would say we’re the world leaders in this form of imaging.” Our contribution to the paper consisted of clearly demonstrating how cancer cells modify their gene expression and become more aggressive when they come into contact with more viscous fluid. And these cells continue to be more aggressive even after the viscosity is reduced. “I would say we’re the world leaders in this type of imaging.” “Our contribution to the work was to very precisely show that cancer cells change their gene expression when they encounter increased viscosity in the surrounding fluid and become more aggressive. And even when you bring the viscosity back down, these cells stay more aggressive.”
Lewis adds, “Now that we know that fluid viscosity signals cancer cells to move in a specific way, we can potentially use drugs to basically short-circuit that signaling pathway and encourage cancer cells to slow down, or even maybe to stop.” Lewis, who is also a member of the Cancer Research Institute of Northern Alberta, describes it as essentially a transparent, highly vascularized membrane that we can then insert human cancer cells into. “Because it’s flat, we can interface it with a microscope and take time-lapse images of individual cells as they migrate and move and respond to changes.”
John D. Lewis Research Group researches prostate cancer, the cancer that affects Canadian men most frequently. Our objective is to create an atmosphere where clinical researchers, medical professionals, and scientists collaborate to address major problems in the treatment of prostate cancer. As a group, we aim to hasten the translation of research findings from “bench to bedside” in order to benefit cancer patients.
Information from this article came from the John D. Lewis Research Group and The University of Alberta
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