Researchers at the University of Turku have discovered that healthy fat cells, responsible for the soft structure of breast tissue, could prevent the spread of breast cancer. The findings were presented in a study published in the journal Science Advances.

“Fat tissue has typically been thought to promote cancer spread, but this study shows that fat in healthy breast tissue may actually act as a protective factor,” said Academy Research Fellow Emilia Peuhu from the University of Turku in a press release.

The study looked at the development of breast cancer from a non-invasive stage to an invasive stage, which is associated with a worse prognosis and the spread of cancer to other parts of the body. The researchers discovered a substance called insulin-like growth factor-binding protein, ‘IGFBP2’ that is produced by healthy fat cells in the breast. This substance acts as a barrier against the cancer’s progression.

More specifically, IGFBP2 binds to a growth factor called ‘IGF-II’ produced by the cancer cells, effectively trapping it and stopping its ability to promote invasive growth. In testing this discovery, the researchers successfully halted the invasive growth of breast cancer cells by employing genetic techniques or an antibody to obstruct IGF-II.

“Many current cancer treatments are based on therapeutic antibodies. We found that an antibody that binds to IGF-II behaves biologically like IGFBP2 and effectively prevents cancer spread in tissue cultures,” explained James Conway, the study’s lead researcher, and a scientist with InFLAMES, an immunological research and development cluster of the University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University.

Research confirms age-related risk factors

The researchers also observed that the presence of healthy fat cells decreases in normal breast tissue with age, suggesting age-related deterioration in this cancer-blocking mechanism.

“Both age and breast density are well-known risk factors for breast cancer. Dense breast tissue naturally contains less fat, and as individuals age, the amount of fat and its ability to produce IGFBP2 decreases. It appears that we have found one explanation for these cancer risk factors,” Johanna Ivaska, Research Professor at the Finnish Cancer Institute and Head of the InFLAMES group, said.

The research was conducted by Scientists at the University of Turku, in collaboration with researchers and doctors from the InFLAMES flagship, Turku Bioscience Centre, and Turku University Hospital and it will continue to explore the potential new treatment.