Scientists Identify Protein Promoting Lung Metastasis in Cancers

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center have identified a tumor-secreted protein, integrin alpha-5, that makes blood vessels leakier, facilitating the formation of metastatic tumors in the lungs for several common cancer types. Published in Nature Cancer, this discovery could lead to new methods for monitoring and reducing the risk of lung metastasis in cancer patients.