New method of preventing the spread of breast cancer discovered

A promising new method of preventing the spread of breast cancer has been identified by UK scientists.

The Cancer Research UK-backed study has isolated an amino acid called asparagine, which plays an essential role in the spread of breast cancer, and found that by restricting it, cancer cells could be stopped from moving to other parts of the body.

Specifically, an experiment using mice showed that blocking the production of asparagine with a drug called L-asparaginase greatly reduced the cancer's ability to spread, when combined with a low-asparagine diet.

Researchers then examined data from human breast cancer patients, showing that the disease was more likely to spread in cases where breast cancer cells were shown to produce more asparagine.

Study leader Professor Greg Hannon, based at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, said: "In the future, restricting this amino acid through a controlled diet plan or by other means could be an additional part of treatment for some patients with breast and other cancers."

Asparagine is found in high concentrations in foods such as asparagus, soy, dairy, poultry and seafood.

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