Kanazawa University Discovers Gastric Cancer Metastasis Mechanism

Researchers at Kanazawa University, led by Masanobu Oshima, have discovered a crucial mechanism by which gastric cancer spreads to the liver. Their study, published in Nature Communications, reveals that ligand-dependent Wnt signaling in the tumor microenvironment activates stromal fibroblasts, leading to hyaluronan production. This hyaluronan creates a supportive niche that enables cancer cells to survive and grow in the liver. The findings suggest new therapeutic strategies, including targeting Wnt signaling, inhibiting hyaluronan production, or disrupting the metastatic niche, offering hope for better prevention and treatment of metastatic gastric cancer. The research was supported by the Japan===Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and the Japan===Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) in Japan.