Breast Cancer Protein MSF Linked To Disease Severity

Dr. Anan Schor and colleagues from Dundee University has found a new protein which may be responsible for the disease progression in breast cancer patients. The new protein which is known as MSF protein is produced in high quantity in patients with breast cancer and the amount of protein produced may be responsible for the severity of disease progression.

They have identified two forms of this MSF protein, the scientists are looking into the properties of these two proteins, one protein was found in more than 90% of breast cancer patients and the other form is an inactive form usually found in people free of the disease. The researchers feel that breast cancer patients undergoing therapy should be tested for this MSF protein, which would help to know the levels and type of MSF protein produced in them, which would allow clinicians to predict the course of the disease and therefore which treatment would be the most effective for the patient.

This protein estimation would help for a better treatment and may also help in developing individual treatment protocols for better prognosis for breast cancer patients. Dr Ana Schor said, "We hope to develop tests which will allow us to quickly assess how much and which type of MSF a breast cancer patient has”.

(Source: BBC News)