Exploring stromal-epithelial interactions in oesophageal cancer

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Cancer of the oesophagus (gullet) is becoming more common in the UK. Despite best current treatments the likelihood of cure is still very poor. The relationship between cells lining the oesophagus and the cells in the supporting layer beneath is fundamental to the development of oesophageal cancer. We make use of a specially developed model system to better understand this relationship with the aim of identifying new molecules as targets for cancer prevention and treatment. Our research uses human cells taken from biopsies of the oesophagus to grow a model oesophagus in the laboratory. Using this system we can determine the interaction between different cell types and the relative contribution that they make to cancer progression. Our overall aim is to understand the differences between cells in the supporting layer of the oesophagus at different stages of cancer growth and use these differences to design new ways of detecting and treating oesophageal cancer before it spreads.