Scientists from RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences found that high levels in the bloodstream of a key protein involved in blood clotting called von Willebrand Factor, can lead to poorer outcomes for breast cancer patients.
The findings will help doctors to better understand and treat breast cancer to reduce the risk of life-threatening blood clots and cancer spread in patients.
The research is published in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis and was conducted by Dr. Jamie O’Sullivan et al.
There are over 2 million people worldwide diagnosed with breast cancer every year, making it the world’s most prevalent cancer.
Importantly, it is not the primary breast tumor, but its spread to distant sites in the body such as bone, brain and lungs which are the main cause of death.
In addition, as they spread via the bloodstream, these breast cancer cells cause blood clotting in approximately 1 in 5 patients, which increases their risk of life-threatening complications.
In the study, the team found that patients with breast cancer had very high levels of von Willebrand Factor in their blood and that patients with the highest levels had the poorest outcomes.
This work suggests that analysis of von Willebrand Factor levels may be useful to help predict clinical outcomes in patients with breast cancer.
The study also examined how breast cancer triggers high levels of von Willebrand Factor and found that breast tumor cells cause release of the clotting protein which helps the breast tumor cells to circulate in the blood stream and may aid breast tumor spreading to other organs in the body.
Anticoagulant medication or blood-thinners which are already used to treat blood clots, could inhibit this effect by reducing levels of von Willebrand Factor and also preventing the spread of cancer cells in the bloodstream.
The findings of the research will help doctors to better understand why patients with breast cancer have an increased risk of blood clots and also why this may contribute to worse disease, cancer progression and spread throughout the body.
If you care about cancer, please read studies about how to reduce pancreatic cancer spread by nearly 90%, and what you need to know cancer and booster shot.
For more information about cancer, please see recent studies about new way to increase the longevity of cancer survivors, and results showing vitamin D could benefit men with advanced cancer.
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