Cancer metastasizes when cancer cells break free from the original tumor and travel through the blood until they settle on the blood vessel wall.
There, vascular wall cells surround them and eventually let them out of the vessel. There, the cancer cell forms a new tumor.
New experiments at the French Institute of Health and Research show that the cancer depends on the blood flow in the vein to be able to grow.
The scientists observed the distribution of crabs in newly hatched zebrafish fry, and they say very special conditions are needed for metastases to develop.
A suitable current spreads disease
In large blood vessels, blood flow can be up to 2,500 micrometers per second, and such a current is too powerful for a cancer cell to attach, but in fine blood vessels, the current was too small for cells in the vessel wall to accept the cancer cell.
It was only where the blood flow was 400-600 micrometers per second, that a cancer cell managed to attach itself and escape through the vessel wall.
New knowledge provides new medicines
The scientists have been able to confirm the results by studying the formation of metastases in whole mice and in people.
Now they hope that this discovery will lead to the development of a drug that targets the cells in the blood vessel wall. If it is possible to prevent these cells from taking over cancer cells, they cannot take hold and cannot form new metastases.
The crab prefers a suitable current
Not too fast and not too slow. New metastases only form where the blood flow is adequate.
Slow blood flow:
No metastasis
The cancer cell settles on the vessel wall, but due to the low current speed, the wall does not open.
Moderate blood flow:
Risk of metastasis
The cancer cell attaches itself to the blood vessel wall and other cells surround it. It gets out and forms a new tumor.
Rapid blood flow:
No metastasis
The cancer cell cannot attach itself to the blood vessel wall. It travels with the blood and does not metastasize.
