Cancer Research | HKU: Fatty liver accelerates breast cancer progression

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Proof of the TCM theory that “breast disease originates from the liver”Support EJ Tech

originalPublished in Hong Kong Economic Times Financial NewsEJ Tech Innovation Lab“

Breast cancer is considered a systemic disease. Patients often have other metabolic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. It is one of the most common cancers among women in Hong Kong and around the world. Dr. Chen Jianping, Chief Lecturer of the School of Chinese Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, led the teamDiscoverThe liver of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (commonly known as fatty liver) will over-secrete a liver factor FGF21, which may accelerate the growth of breast cancer tumors. This discovery provides modern scientific evidence for the Chinese medicine theory that “breast disease originates from the liver”. The paper was published in the scientific journalCell Death and Disease“。

Dr. Jianping Chen (center) led a team to discover that fatty liver can cause breast cancer to worsen. (Photo provided by HKU)

FGF21 is a hepatokine, a protein secreted by the liver. Studies have found that liver diseases such as fatty liver can cause abnormal secretion of FGF21, and can induce liver cancer, thyroid cancer, lung cancer and other cancers, but no specific effect on breast cancer has been mentioned. The University of Hong Kong cited clinical research that the probability of patients with fatty liver also suffering from breast cancer is about 1.4 times that of normal people, and it will affect the malignancy of breast cancer.

Proof of the TCM theory that “breast disease originates from the liver”

The research team screened out the liver factor FGF21, which is overexpressed and secreted, from the livers of mice with fatty liver. Mechanistic studies have confirmed that FGF21 can regulate the signaling pathways related to breast cancer cell death and promote breast tumor growth. Clinical samples have found that the tumor samples of patients with breast cancer in situ have increased FGF21 expression compared with normal breast tissue, which is related to the recurrence rate and mortality rate of patients.

At the same time, excessive secretion of FGF21 by fatty liver will accelerate the growth of breast cancer tumors, enhance the ability of cancer cells to resist death, and reduce the therapeutic effect of the chemotherapy drug Doxorubicin.

Clinical studies have also pointed out that female patients with fatty liver have a significantly increased chance of developing breast cancer, revealing the existence of the “liver-breast axis”. Chen Jianping said: “Traditional Chinese medicine has the theory of ‘breast disease originates from the liver’, which emphasizes the importance of liver care in maintaining female breast health and has a positive effect on the treatment of breast cancer. This study explains the scientific nature of the ‘liver-breast axis’ from the animal and cell levels, and also reflects the scientific nature of traditional Chinese medicine theory, providing modern research evidence for the clinical application of the theory of ‘breast disease originates from the liver’.”