Scientists Discover Link Between Nicotine and Breast Cancer Metastasis
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the United States, and cigarette smoking is associated with a higher incidence of breast cancer spread, or metastasis, lowering the survival rate by 33% at diagnosis.
While cigarette smoking's link to cancer is well-known, the role of nicotine, a non-carcinogenic chemical found in tobacco, in breast-to-lung metastasis is an area where more research is needed.
Now, scientists at Wake Forest School of Medicine have found that nicotine promotes the spread of breast cancer cells into the lungs.
The study is published in the January 20 online edition of Nature Communications.
"Our data shows that nicotine exposure creates an environment in the lungs that is ripe for metastatic growth," said Kounosuke Watabe, Ph.D., lead author of the study and professor of cancer biology at Wake Forest School of Medicine, part of Wake Forest Baptist Health.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-20733-9
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