Of all the types of breast cancer, triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive and lacks specific therapies. TNBC also is more likely to metastasize, or travel through the blood stream to spread to other organs, which causes most of breast cancer-related deaths each year. Until now, tracking circulating tumor cells (CTC), a powerful indicator of cancer metastasis, has been challenging because there are very few markers that specifically identify these cells. In this study, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine report a procedure that led to the identification of four new proteins on the surface of live CTCs that specifically identify these cells both in mouse models and people with TNBC.

A new study finds many organizations that provide residential drug- and alcohol-use services in North Carolina have mandated labor requirements. Organizations with labor requirements are less likely to provide recommended evidence-based treatment for opioid-use disorders and are more likely to operate without a state license for adult substance-use services.