Imagine cancer cells hitting the snooze button for years—and then waking up stronger than ever. That's the surprising behavior Israeli scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science uncovered in a new study published in Science Signaling.
Researchers found breast cancer cells mimic a natural growth cycle in healthy tissue, shifting between an early, fast-growing stage and a stable mature stage. By hijacking this process, tumors can multiply and hide from the immune system to persist undetected for years.
Central to this discovery is a protein called OVOL, which helps normal breast cells mature. When scientists boosted OVOL levels in triple-negative breast cancer cells, the cells stopped dividing and entered dormancy. In mouse models, this approach also slowed tumor growth significantly.
However, OVOL seems to play a dual role: once its levels drop—possibly triggered by hormonal shifts like lower estrogen—dormant cells can reawaken with accumulated free radicals that damage DNA, turning the cancer more aggressive and resistant to treatment.
Understanding dormancy at a molecular level gives us ways to keep cancer asleep or target it before it wakes up, paving the way for therapies that prevent recurrence even years after remission.
As labs worldwide build on these insights, the race is on to develop drugs that can keep dormancy in check—offering fresh hope in the long-term battle against cancer recurrence.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
