Breakthrough Study Unveils Secret to Cancer Metastasis in Liver

Researchers at ETH Zurich have uncovered the key role of specific proteins in the metastasis of colorectal cancer to the liver. This discovery could lead to new therapies that prevent the spread of cancer, offering hope in a field where current treatment options are limited.

Metastasis is responsible for the majority of cancer deaths, occurring when primary tumor cells spread to other organs. Despite advances in treating primary tumors, medicine is largely ineffective against metastases. A new study by ETH Zurich researchers under Andreas Moor, published in Nature, reveals how colorectal cancer cells colonize the liver, potentially guiding future therapies to block disease spread.

Metastasis happens when primary tumor cells travel via the circulatory system to other body parts. According to Moor, colorectal cancer targets the liver due to the blood flow pattern, where nutrient-rich blood from intestines passes through the liver. There, cancer cells get trapped in liver capillaries. Moor's team, including doctoral student Costanza Borrelli, discovered that liver cells play a significant role in whether the trapped cancer cells can establish a foothold. The exact molecular mechanisms were previously unclear.

The research using genetically modified mice identified that proteins on cell surfaces are crucial. Specifically, liver cells with Plexin-B2 allow colorectal cancer cells, which have semaphorin proteins, to attach and colonize. These proteins' roles were only known in the nervous system until now. The findings suggest that interrupting Plexin-Semaphorin interactions could prevent new tumors, especially during the early, vulnerable stages of metastasis. The discovery also has implications for other cancers like melanoma and pancreatic cancer, opening new research avenues.

(With inputs from agencies.)