New protein linked to spread of breast cancer identified
Toronto, May 7: Researchers have found that a protein that, once deactivated, could prevent the spread of an aggressive type of breast cancer to other sites in the body, a process known as metastasis.
In their study, published in the journal Cell Reports, the researchers demonstrated that a protein, AXL, influences the occurrence of metastasis in HER2-positive cancer, an aggressive type that accounts for 20 per cent of breast cancers.
In HER2-positive breast cancers, cells with high levels of AXL are more likely to detach from tumours to form metastases.
The research was done on mice and with samples of tumour cells taken from cancer patients in Montreal, Canada.
In women with HER2-positive cancer, it was found that the less AXL is present, the better the survival rate.
Previously, researchers had linked the AXL protein to another type of cancer, triple negative breast cancer, but its role in in HER2-positive cancer was not known.
"Based on this discovery, a treatment targeting AXL could reduce the risk of metastasis," said one of the researchers Jean-Francois Cote, Professor at Universite de Montreal in Canada.
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KSRTC introduces gender ticketing in buses across Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): The KSRCTC on Saturday began implementing gender ticketing in buses operating across the state.
According to a Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) circular issued on Friday, the gender ticketing system is intended to record whether a passenger is a woman, a man or a child in tickets issued on KSRTC buses from Saturday.
To facilitate the system, Electronic Ticketing Machines (ETMs) have been updated.
The circular stated that conductors in all KSRTC depots should record the gender category of passengers while issuing tickets through the ETMs.
Options for women, men, and children have been included in the ETMs to identify passenger categories when issuing tickets.
The printed tickets generated by the ETMs will also indicate the passenger's category, officials said.
The UDF had promised free KSRTC travel for women across the state during the Assembly election campaign.
UDF, which won 102 of 140 seats, would soon form the government after the Congress party finalises the discussion on the next Chief Minister.
The introduction of gender ticketing is being viewed as an effort to estimate the number of women travelling daily on KSRTC buses before implementing the poll promise.
Some conductors have reportedly raised concerns over the additional time required to record passenger details, especially during rush hours.
