Researchers at IIT Guwahati and IISC Bangalore join hands in the fight against breast cancer

NEW DELHI, AUGUST 21: Researchers from IIT Guwahati and IISc Bangalore came together for an experiment to study the spread of breast cancer cells through blood. The experiment aims to understand the mechanisms involved in the growth and spread of breast cancer.

The research team observed that cancer cells undergo a process that increases the migratory properties of the cells and make them more drug-resistant. The mechanism behind the spread of cancer cells can be decoded with more information on this process called Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition.

Highlighting the importance of the research, Prof. Siddhartha Sankar Ghosh, IIT Guwahati, said, “Breast cancer starts in a localised manner and can spread to other organs. This process called 'metastasis' is the most devastating attribute of the disease.”

“We do not yet fully know the molecular and cellular mechanisms of breast cancer metastasis, and this hinders the development of treatment protocols that can prevent or treat cancer spread,” he added.

The experiment was designed to mimic broken membranes through which cancer cells find a way into the bloodstream. The researchers studied the movement of the cells in a passage that mimicked the network of blood vessels. The movement of the cells was captured using a high-speed camera to create videos that showed the ways in which cancer spread from one site to another.