Zebrafish ’window on cancer’ shows birth of tumour - and body’s response

Scientists using translucent zebrafish as a "window on cancer” have been able to see in real time how tumour cells are born - and immediately attract cells from the immune system. This inflammatory response seems to both attack and aid the cancer cells and the balance between the two provides a new therapeutic target for cancer researchers. It also links cancer to the wound healing process, which may even lead to anti-inflammatory drugs being used to treat cancer patients. Dr Adam Hurlstone, of the University of Manchester's Faculty of Life Sciences, explained: "This is a very exciting finding. It was a huge surprise to us to see the tumour cells detected by the immune system so quickly: a cancer cell appears, gives a signal and the body's immune system is immediately alerted. "The speed of the response and being able to see it so clearly in the zebrafish was very exciting. "In addition we have established other novel aspects: that hydrogen peroxide is the signal molecule given by both wounded and transformed pre-cancerous cells to the immune system and that the carefully choreographed response can both attack and aid cancer cells at their very birth.