Scientists link breast cancer to liver damage
Breast cancer causes liver inflammation (hepatitis) and fibrosis, according to a study conducted by scientists at JSS Medical College, JSS School of Pharmacy, School of Life Sciences, and JSS AHER in Mysuru.
The study looked into a possible molecular mechanism behind breast cancer-related comorbidities like liver injury, according to the researchers, who added that their findings were recently published in the peer-reviewed journal Advances in Cancer Biology-Metastasis.
Dr. Prasanna Santhekadur, associate professor and Ramalingaswami fellow at the department of biochemistry and the JSS Medical College, and his Ph.D. students, Nirmala GS and Varsha DS, conducted the research in collaboration with Dr. Samudyata C Prabhuswamimath, assistant professor at the JSS School of Life Sciences, and Professor Saravana Babu C and Sunanda Tuladhar at the JSS School of Pharmacy, Mysuru.
It was funded by the Ramalingaswami Fellowship at the Government of India's Department of Biotechnology.
According to the principal investigator, Dr. Prasanna Santhekadur, many women worldwide suffer from breast cancer and its associated comorbidities.
There are treatment options for breast cancer, but none for breast cancer-related liver inflammation and fibrosis.
The liver is a vital organ that performs over 500 functions in the body. Breast cancer-related liver damage can lead to liver cancer, also known as Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
This study contributes to a better understanding of breast cancer-related liver damage and aids in the targeting of tumor angiogenesis for treatment and improvement of liver functions.
According to the researchers, there are only one or two drugs on the market that can treat liver inflammation, fibrosis, and auto Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
"There have been previous studies that showed that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a risk factor for breast cancer in humans," said Dr. Madhra Pathak, consultant of obstetrics and gynecology at Manipal Hospital Mysore.
As we all know, these two conditions are linked to the metabolic syndrome of obesity, diabetes, and hypertension.
"This novel study in mice models has revealed the mechanism by which breast cancer cells cause damage to liver cells by producing new blood vessels (neo-angiogenesis) in the liver, resulting in inflammation and fibrosis, and thus affecting normal liver function."
"This is a precursor for the development of liver cancer," he added. Extrapolating this research to humans would imply discovering ways to reduce liver damage. This has the potential to reduce long-term morbidity and mortality in breast cancer survivors."