(PHILADELPHIA) Cell biologists at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia have provided further evidence that a gene thought to play a role in suppressing tumors actually can protect against the development of pre-cancerous cell growth as well. The researchers say that the gene, caveolin-1 (Cav-1), which they found in two major types of breast cells, could be a potential target for future drugs aimed at preventing breast cancer. The work also suggests a potentially important role of the tumor “microenvironment” in the cancerous process.
