Scientists have discovered that existing drugs can make cancer cells “literally just get stuck”, preventing them from spreading throughout the body, the Independent reported. 

Normally on the move constantly, cancer cells quickly run out of nutrients and oxygen amid the crush of a rapidly growing tumour.

This means they are forced to leave the tumor to invade different parts of the body or die. About 90% of the human deaths from the disease occur after cancer spreads to other parts of the body.

Researchers funded by the US National Cancer Institute have now found a key part of the process that enables the cells to move and managed to disrupt it in laboratory tests.

Team leader Professor Kay MacLeod, of the Ben May Department for Cancer Research at Chicago University, said the researchers had decided to find out what would happen if they stopped a process called autophagy in cancer cells.

Source ; MENA