Have you ever wondered why cases of heart cancer are reported less, while tumours are found in almost every other part of the body? What makes the organ that tirelessly pumps from day one of existence remain away from the cancerous cells?
Researchers might have found an answer to this question. In a recent study published in Science, experts have found that the beating of the heart stops cancers from growing in this organ, as observed in mice.
This could also explain why tumours affecting the heart are rare in mammals. Experts also opined that the latest study puts forward a compelling case that mechanical strain on the heart could be an explanation.
How was the study conducted?
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According to Nature, Serena Zacchigna, a clinician-scientist at the University of Trieste, Italy, and her team transplanted hearts onto the necks of genetically modified mice. These external hearts did not beat but did still receive a blood supply and were functional. In the next step, the team then injected cancer cells into the transplanted hearts on the necks of mice and into the ‘native’ hearts in the animals.
Findings:
Within two weeks, researchers observed that the cancer cells multiplied and replaced most of the healthy cells in the transplanted hearts. By contrast, about 20 per cent of tissue in the native hearts was cancerous.
This feat could be the answer to a long-lasting question that was left unresolved in the medical field.
The research team who also observed their hypothesis on mechanical strain on the heart in warding off cancer, is now investigating whether the force placed on the heart could be replicated in other parts of the body to prevent tumour growth, such as in the skin and breast.
