Peripheral Artery Disease Linked to Accelerated Breast Cancer Growth: A Summary
Research from NYU Grossman School of Medicine reveals a concerning link between peripheral artery disease (PAD) and increased breast cancer growth.The study demonstrates that restricted blood flow (ischemia) triggers changes in the immune system, creating an habitat more tolerant to cancer.
Key Findings:
Immune System Reprogramming: Ischemia causes a shift in stem cells within the bone marrow, leading to an increase in immune cells that suppress inflammation (myeloid cells) and a decrease in those that promote anti-tumor responses (lymphocytes, especially T cells). This mirrors immune changes seen with aging.
Tumor Microenvironment Shift: The environment within tumors also becomes more immune-suppressive, accumulating cells that shield cancer from attack.
Long-Lasting Changes: These immune alterations aren’t temporary. Ischemia causes lasting changes in gene expression and even the structure of chromatin (DNA scaffolding),making it harder for immune cells to fight cancer.
Mechanism of Action: The study used a mouse model to show that ischemia directly drives cancer growth by reprogramming stem cells and promoting immune tolerance.
Implications & Future Research:
This research highlights the importance of addressing cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors as part of a comprehensive cancer treatment strategy. Researchers suggest potential strategies include:
Earlier cancer screening for patients with PAD. Utilizing inflammation-modulating therapies to counteract the effects of ischemia on the immune system.
The team is now working to design clinical studies to evaluate the effectiveness of existing inflammation-targeted therapies in combating post-ischemic tumor growth.
Funding Sources: The study was supported by grants from the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health, as well as funding from the Sarnoff Cardiovascular Research Foundation, the LeDucq Foundation Network, and the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center.