• Question: do you think you will be able to figure out why cancer spreads or not?

    Asked by reganrussell to Gina on 19 Nov 2012.
    • Photo: Gina Tse

      Gina Tse answered on 19 Nov 2012:

      Hi Regan,

      Thanks for your question. The problem with cancer spreading is that it becomes extremely hard to treat. Scientists already know a few culprits responsisble for making cancer spread.

      In my lab at the moment we know for certain several proteins that cause cancers to spread and specifically we look at one called ZEB2.
      These are proteins are usually found when the foetus is growing. But for some reason these proteins are being made at the wrong time, making cells move when we don’t want them to.

      Unfortunately, there tens of thousands of proteins in human body. And not all cancers are the same. So for my project I am looking at a specific protein and learning more about it. This is so I can understand it more and can come up with therapies to treat it. So in the future if any patients have this certain protein in their cancer we can treat it or even prevent it from spreading.

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