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Researchers identify a gene responsible for spread of cancer in the body

Researchers have identified a gene that promotes metastases, the spread of cancer cells through the body. This new understanding of how cancer metastasizes, linking a gene product and migration of cancer cells, may lead to therapies to stop this spread. The results of the study are published in the May 2003 issue of the journal Molecular Biology of the Cell. Richard G. Pestell, M.D., Ph.D. and his research team have been studying the cyclin D1 gene and the protein it produces for the past decade. Now they have found that by “knocking out” this gene, the migration of cells can be halted. The migration of cancer cells through the body is a major reason why cancer is deadly.