breast tumors

(Washington University in St. Louis) A unique genetic signature can alert physicians to high-risk breast tumors that are masquerading as low-risk tumors, according to research at Washington University School of Medicine in St.

Louis and collaborating institutions. Although these tumors are apparently estrogen-receptor positive -- meaning they should depend on estrogen to grow -- they don't respond well to anti-estrogen therapy.

Researchers may have found a new option for targeted breast cancer therapy by showing the link between a certain protein and the development of blood vessels that feed breast tumors.

The scientists developed the first living model to study the effect of the protein called T-cadherin on tumor angiogenesis by creating a strain of mice that develops spontaneous mammary gland tumors in the absence of T-cadherin.

A new study has uncovered how breast tumors use a particular type of molecule to promote metastasis -- the spread of cancer cells.

Metastasis is the cause of approximately 90 percent of all cancer-related deaths.

Combining a breast cancer patient's clinical characteristics with a genomic profile of her tumor may provide important information for predicting an individual patient's prognosis and accurately guiding treatment options, according to a new study.

The identification of two cellular receptors that likely contribute to the genesis of hormone-dependent breast cancer points the way to new, highly targeted therapies against the disease.

The finding also helps explain how daily use of medicines such as aspirin might help keep these breast tumors at bay.