June 7, 2011

As previously reported, US scientists have unraveled the riddle of the rapid growth of cancerous tumors.   Now, scientists of the University of Oxford, led by Thomas Bruner, proved that stellate cells are able to stimulate growth cancers   and protect them from the damaging effects of radiation therapy.

Stellate cells Located in the pancreas and is actively involved in the process of regeneration when damaged, completely change their role in the development of a malignant tumor in her.

To date, the most effective treatment for pancreatic cancer is to remove them. A radiotherapy It is used to prolong the life of patients, in cases where the operative method is impossible.

Of the total number of cells in the pancreas stellate cells a little more than 4%. When a malignant tumor in an organ, part of stellate cells into its restoration, causes the cells start chronic inflammatory process . The result of the process becomes formation of fibrous tissue mass, the volume of which in some cases can be up to 90% of the tumor.

Experiments conducted by scientists have shown that cells cancer Interacting with stellate cells are less susceptible to the influence of radioactive radiation, which is generally an effective means of destruction of dividing cancer cells.

Transplantation Pancreatic cancer cells experimental rats showed that the tumor grows several times faster in the presence of stellate cells, since they are to some extent counteract the effect of radiotherapy.