Medicine Zurich researchers discover key driver of cancer

A discovery by Zurich researchers could help in the early detection of cancer. The team from the University of Zurich has identified a signaling pathway that converts cells into aggressive tumor cells.

The signaling pathway controls the transformation of the uppermost cell layer of skin and mucous membranes, the so-called epithelial cells. As the cancer progresses, the cells start their own program and become invasive, as the University of Zurich announced on Wednesday.

The discovery of this signaling pathway could help in the early detection and treatment of patients with skin, colon, bladder and esophageal cancer.

"Our results suggest that targeting the cancer-specific arm of TNF-α signaling could be a promising approach for the treatment of patients with epithelial cancers," said team leader Ataman Sendöl from the Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

The cancer-specific TNF-α signaling program correlates with the aggressiveness of the tumors: the more active it is, the lower the patient's chances of survival. The activity of the signaling program could also serve as a biomarker to assess the prognosis of patients with epithelial carcinomas.

The research team examined 150 cancer genes. According to the press release, this is the largest study to provide systematic insights into how mutations in cancer genes change the behavior of cells in the body.