US researchers have identified a group of genes involved in breast cancer angiogenesis that they think could be targeted to stem metastasis.

The genes are expressed by human breast cancer cells and work together to remodel the network of blood vessels at the site of the primary tumor, the team reports in the journal Nature.

Breast tumors that express the genes are more likely to spread to the lungs, the researchers add.

Metastasis is the leading cause of death in cancer patients. Through numerous biological functions, it enables cancer cells to collectively migrate from the primary tumor, disseminate, and reach distant organs.

The team led by Joan Massagué, from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, USA, studied angiogenesis in mouse models of breast cancer using genetic and pharmacologic approaches.

They identified four genes that facilitated the formation of new tumor blood vessels, the release of cancer cells into the blood stream, and the penetration of tumor cells from the blood into the lung.

The genes included epiregulin (EREG), which is a ligand for the epidermal growth factor receptor, the cyclooxygenase COX2, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 1 and MMP2.

Massagué et al believe the findings help explain how cancers spread and highlight targets for treating metastatic breast cancer.

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