Uncovering the Link: Stem Cells Shed Light on Breast Cancer's Spinal Spread

Scientists have discovered a new type of stem cell, called vertebral skeletal stem cells (vSSCs), that contributes to the formation of the backbone and also promotes the metastasis of breast tumors and other cancers to the spine. The study challenges the long-held theory that forceful events like coughing cause cancer cells to reach the spine. The researchers found that vSSCs secrete a protein called MFGE8, which plays a role in the interaction between vSSCs and cancer cells. Deleting the gene for MFGE8 reduced the spread of cancer cells to the spine in mouse experiments. The findings could have implications for understanding cancer metastasis and improving the success rate of spinal fusion procedures.