What is the reason of cancer spreading to liver

According to a new study published in nature recently, cancer is usually the most likely to metastasize to the liver. This is because liver cells, as the main functional cells of the liver, are in a chain reaction center, which makes them particularly sensitive to cancer cells. Hepatocytes can sense inflammation and make structural changes to help cancer spread to the liver.

When cancer begins to move to other organs, it usually moves to the liver first. What is the reason?

Recently, researchers from the Abramson cancer center at the University of Pennsylvania concluded that liver cells, as the main functional cells of the liver, are in a chain reaction center, which makes them particularly sensitive to cancer cells. These hepatocytes respond to inflammation by activating a protein called Stat3. STAT3, in turn, stimulates them to produce another protein called SAA, which reconstructs the liver and creates the "soil" needed for cancer cells to "seed.".

The researchers believe that blocking IL-6, the inflammatory signal that drives this chain reaction, by using antibodies can prevent this process from happening, thereby limiting the possibility of cancer spreading to the liver. Dr. Gregory Beatty, a hematology oncologist at the University of Pennsylvanias Perelman School of medicine, said: the seed and soil hypothesis is widely accepted, but the study found that hepatocytes are the main coordinator of this process. In this study, the researchers first used a mouse model of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most common type of pancreatic cancer and the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States.

The researchers found that STAT3 protein was activated in almost all liver cells in mice with cancer, while in mice without cancer, STAT3 protein was activated in less than 2% of liver cells. Later, they worked with Mayo Clinic scientists and colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania to confirm that the same biological principles can be replicated in patients with pancreatic, colon and lung cancer. The deletion of STAT3 gene in hepatocytes can effectively prevent the increased sensitivity of mouse liver to "cancer seeds". The team also worked with researchers at the University of Kentucky to find that IL-6 can regulate STAT3 signals in these cells, regulate the production of SAA by hepatocytes, attract inflammatory cells, initiate fibrosis response and jointly build "soil".

The researchers point out that the liver is an important sensor in the human body. Studies have shown that hepatocytes can sense inflammation, make structural changes and help cancer spread to liver tissue. The study also found that IL-6 can cause structural changes in the liver, regardless of the presence or absence of tumors. This means that any condition associated with elevated IL-6 levels, such as obesity or cardiovascular disease, may affect the livers ability to accept cancer cells. The findings confirm that targeting liver cells may prevent cancer from spreading to the liver, the researchers said.

 

 

Cindy