Ovarian cancer kills more women than any other gynecological cancer. Most patients receive their diagnosis only after the disease spreads throughout the abdomen. Until now, scientists have never fully understood why this cancer advances so fast. A new study led by Nagoya University explains why. Published in Science Advances, the study shows that cancer cells recruit help from protective mesothelial cells that normally line the abdominal cavity. Mesothelial cells lead the invasion and cancer cells follow the pathways they create. These hybrid cell clusters resist chemotherapy better than cancer alone. 

American women now have the option of screening for cervical cancer at home, using newly approved self-collection tools. While experts hope this will increase uptake in the under-screened population, a first-of-its kind study by researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center found the majority still prefer to see a medical professional in-clinic.

Wistar scientists have combined a promising cancer therapy with a molecule that targets tumors to treat cancer more effectively. The new approach could be a way to deliver treatment directly to tumors at higher doses, while reducing side effects in healthy tissue

Cancer cells often invade different tissues by forming rounded protrusions called blebs. However, the exact mechanism behind this expansion remained unclear. Now, researchers at Kyushu University have discovered that cancer cells use protein clusters to create water pressure inside blebs, which pushes the cell membrane outward, enabling rapid movement. This newly identified mechanism, named “CaMKII-based osmotically-driven deformation or CODE,” reveals a unique physical process that drives the spread of cancer cells inside the body.

In cellular and animal models of neuroblastoma, small cell lung cancer and colon cancer, this strategy reduces tumours, prolongs survival and triggers a tumour-fighting immune response.

The study, published in Molecular Cancer, provides proof of concept for potential future therapies.