Gene Involved in Sense of Smell Could Play Role in Spread of Breast Cancer to the Brain
An olfactory receptor gene that aids in the sense of smell may also play a role in the metastasis of breast cancer to the brain, bones, and lung, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have found. The team further discovered that inhibiting the gene, OR5B21, significantly decreased the metastasis of breast cancer cells to these organs and could thus be an important target for future therapy to prevent its spread, according to a paper published in iScience.
