Researchers Isolate Enzyme That May Trigger Breast Cancer

Scientists have isolated a substance they believe triggers breast cancer and whose discovery could lead to valuable advances in early detection and treatment of the disease. Researchers at the State University of New York, Stony Brook, report in the April Journal of Clinical Investigation that the enzyme mitogen-activated protein kinase, or MAP kinase, exists at levels five to 20 times higher in women with breast cancer than in normal breast tissue.

Dr. Craig C. Malbon, head of the research team, said that migration of MAP kinase into the nucleus of a cell signals the cell to begin replicating itself, causing cancer. Previous research has shown that MAP kinase signals cells to proliferate, Malbon said. The new research established a link between extremely high levels of the molecule and the growth and spread of breast cancer, he said.