'Fat tissue in breast stimulates tumor growth '

World December 19, 2015 13:14

- The fatty tissue of the breast has an important role to play in the progression of breast cancer, especially in women who are overweight.

         This is evident from the thesis of dr. Lore Lapeire, physician medical oncology at the University Hospital Ghent. Together with colleagues looked Lapeira how fat tissue influences the cancer cells. AgressieDe researchers caught in mice on the substances that are secreted by the fat and added them to breast cancer cells. The cancer cells then showed more signs of aggressiveness: they lost their compact organization, spread easily and grew faster than in the control situation. Further research in humans is needed, but the results may have important implications as Lapeire for the treatment of breast tumors. By taking into account the impact of the adipose tissue around the tumor, may be developed more targeted therapies which prevent the infiltration of the tumor and any metastases. Also, obese, there is a link, say the researchers. Fat cells that need to store a large amount of fat, will come under stress, and thereby to separate a larger amount of harmful substances than the normal vetweefstel. This leads to a poorer prognosis in breast cancer.