A LAVERTON researcher is making inroads into discovering how doctors can stifle the spread of breast cancer through the bodies of people who stress too much.
Caroline Le, 23, says there is a clear link between chronic stress on the immune system and cancer progression. Her Monash University pharmaceutical science team is conducting fresh studies of mice in a bid to “decipher the mechanics” of what’s going on.
“Stress is very difficult to measure so I’m looking at ways to quantify stress and identify molecular markers in the body to help with this quantifying process,” Ms Le said.
Findings so far raise the possibility of common drugs, called beta blockers, being used to prevent the spread of breast cancer. Beta blockers are normally used to treat hypertension, high blood pressure and chest pains.
Since starting her research in March last year, Ms Le says her drive and determination have been fuelled by the fact the research takes a fresh look at one of the most common conditions of modern life.
“It’s well-established that when you’re stressed you get sick more easily because your immune system is weakened.
“But you hear about stress, and people automatically think it’s bad for you, but it’s never really been quantified and there’s never been any real evidence behind it,” she says.
“Then you hear about cancer, about how it affects a lot of people, but not a lot is known about what causes it to progress. I guess that’s why this work is interesting.” Ms Le hopes to finish her 100,000-word thesis by early next year.
