New research is changing the way scientists understand breast cancer. It is no longer seen as just a disease caused by uncontrolled tumor cells. Instead, breast cancer can trick the body’s own immune system to help it grow and spread.
A recent study by researchers from two Indian universities explains this in detail. They found that breast tumors can “reprogram” certain white blood cells called macrophages. Normally, macrophages protect the body by fighting infections and cleaning up damaged cells.
However, breast cancer cells can manipulate these macrophages to work in their favor. Instead of attacking the tumor, the reprogrammed macrophages start helping cancer cells grow and spread to other parts of the body. This process, called metastasis, makes breast cancer more dangerous and harder to treat.
Understanding how tumors manipulate the immune system is an important step in developing new treatments. Scientists hope that by targeting these reprogrammed macrophages, future therapies can stop breast cancer from growing and spreading, giving patients better chances of recovery.