It may sound like some kind of April Fool’s Joke, but it’s not. It would seem that women who are suffering from breast cancer, one of the biggest health concerns for women, can try an alternative therapy, other than the traditional chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
A new study has shown that squeezing breast tissue may in fact help to stop the growth of cancer cells. The research was carried out in affiliation with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the UC Berkeley into the possible treatments for out-of-control breast cancer growth.
Simply put, squeezing the breast (or ‘using mechanical forces’ as it is referred to in the study) seems to be able to revert the affected breast cancer cells. In these cases, the genetic mutations which have caused the malignancy remain. Tissue organisation seems to be sensitive to this type of mechanical input and can have a real effect on the growth and development of breast cancer. The principal investigator, Daniel Fletcher, noted that the compression seems to act as a signal to the cells to get back on track and grow the right way again.
The research likened the effect to weightlifting: we know that when we lift weights, the physical effect on our body causes muscle to grow. We can see from this that physical effects in the environment can cause tissue changes within the body. Gravity helps to keep human bones strong. In the same way, breast compression could potentially change the cancer cells found in breast tissue.
To carry out the study, researchers grew breast cancer cells inside a gelatine-like substance which was then injected into flexible chamber made out of silicone. These chambers could then be moved to apply force to the cells and observe the results.
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