Honors Breast Cancer Research

link to the article here

The article I read this week, was about how microenvironments can effect breast cancer in positive or negative ways. In particular, this article was talking about the effect of a certain kind of serotonin that is a regulator in the breast and other areas. The results showed that although this the regulating serotonin molecule is beneficial normally, they go through a change during the progression of breast cancer and it essentially helps the cancerous cells. When the serotonin is uncoupled from its normal mechanisms, it helps the mutated cancer cells survive.

In the article, they wrote that this was the first report of the serotonin in human breast cancer. I think that it is crazy that a molecule that helps maintain homeostasis normally, can be messed up and will now support the growth of cancerous cells. It's a really scary thought since it is now reported there is something in your body that will help the cancer cells. This article was important because now that this preliminary information is out there, its one new piece of information that can be used to do more research. The effect of the serotonin could help open new doors and answer new questions about breast cancer, and other cancers too.