Stress fuels breast cancer metastasis to bone
Tuesday, July 17, 2012 - 19:00
in Health & Medicine
Stress can promote breast cancer cell colonization of bone, investigators have discovered. The studies demonstrate in mice that activation of the sympathetic nervous system -- the "fight-or-flight" response to stress – primes the bone environment for breast cancer cell metastasis. The researchers were able to prevent breast cancer cell lesions in bone using propranolol, a cardiovascular medicine that inhibits sympathetic nervous system signals.