A recent study from Michigan State University confirms that mice do indeed have significant similarities to humans which is beneficial for cancer research, reported News Wise.
This has been in question for a long time, since so many clinical trials involve testing on mice before testing humans. This new study provides us with more definitive details as to why it is something we should continue doing.
The data results, now found in PLOS Genetics, show that mice can closely mimic breast cancer tissue along with its genes. Not to mention, they can also mimic other cancers like oral, lung and esophagus more than we originally thought. This is great news especially considering that cancer is known to be the 2nd leading reason for death, behind heart disease, in the Unites States.
Physiology professor and co-author of the study, Eran Andrecheck, shared that their study can identify many similarities and their detailed subtypes of human breast cancer in mice. Through his study, it was apparent the gene’s actions were the same in some breast cancers, as well as in other cancers too. Andrechek shared an example that the signaling pathway of mouse mammary tumors and their movement were found in humans with lung cancer. Since the researchers know that a tumor has a specific gene, they can look deeper into their actions and signals and hopefully use that knowledge to identify treatments.
They hope to continue using this method, as scientists will be able to learn more about various tumors and develop better treatments. This is exciting news to the research and medical community, but more so for patients who are living with cancer. Hopefully from this study they can find effective results soon for other cancers as well. Thanks to the National Institutes of Health and Worldwide Cancer Research, who funded the study. Hopefully this leads up to greater treatments sooner.
