Oncology Abstracts

Metastasis is the major cause of death in breast cancer patients, largely due to the poor efficacy of existing therapies. Here we report that bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP4) blocks metastasis in animal models of breast cancer and predicts improved survival in patients. In preclinical models of spontaneous metastasis, we demonstrate that BMP4 acts as an autocrine mediator to modulate a range of known metastasis regulating genes, including SMAD7, via activation of c...

Introduction: The process of Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) involves the transition of cells from a differentiated epithelial phenotype to a less differentiated mesenchymal phenotype. Mammographic breast density (MBD) refers to the proportion of high opacity area on a mammogram. EMT may be triggered in cancer cells by a range of therapies including cytotoxic chemotherapy, with cell line and animal suggesting chemoresistance may result. High MBD in patients being treat...