Breast cancer research gets a mechanical boost

Stanford researchers say one way to solve the mystery of why some breast cancers are more likely to spread could come from studying the cell's mechanical properties. Ovijit Chaudhuri and his lab are studying how mechanical properties of breast tissue influence tumor cells. (Image credit: Courtesy Department of Mechanical Engineering) One of the most puzzling questions in breast cancer research is why some tumors stay put, while rogue cells from others break free and spread to surrounding tissues, the first step toward creating a more lethal disease. Although researchers have found some signs in mutated genes or telltale proteins on the cell's surface, those discoveries don't tell the whole story. Curiously, one path to unraveling this mystery may lie in a field not usually associated with cancer research: mechanical engineering. "Over the last 20 years or so there's been increasing evidence that mechanical properties of breast tissue play a key role in promoting breast cancer progression," said Ovijit Chaudhuri , an assistant professor of mechanical engineering, and a member of both Stanford ChEM-H and Stanford Bio-X. Working with researchers across campus, Chaudhuri's group is now studying the interplay between mechanical properties, such as the stiffness of breast tissue, and why some tumor cells spread to other tissues.