Study Offers Theories About Why Tumors Spread
(Chicago, IL) -- A tiny bit of genetic material could mean the difference between an aggressive cancer that rages through the body and an easily-treated tumor. A University of Michigan scientist says a fragment of ribonucleic acid is key. His study found that when the RNA particle is missing, a protein linked to aggressive cancer starts to proliferate. Dr. Arul Chinnaiyan says the protein lets cancer spread by shutting down genes that control the disease. He and his colleagues used computer programs to find out what lets the protein become elevated. The study is published in the journal "Science." |