Blocking Signaling Protein Prevents Prostate Cancer Spread, Jefferson Scientists Find

Researchers at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson in Philadelphia have shown that by blocking a signaling protein, they can prevent prostate cancer cells from metastatic dissemination. The work opens the door to future studies examining the protein as a target for therapies aimed at keeping prostate cancer at bay. In a series of experiments in both the laboratory and animal models, Marja Nevalainen, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of Cancer Biology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University and her co-workers found that the protein, Stat3, is key to the metastatic progression of prostate cancer. Dr. Nevalainen's group reports its findings in the June 2008 issue of the American Journal of Pathology. According to Dr...