Understanding the function of the CCR7 chemokine receptor in breast cancer cells and tumours.

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As much as 90% of cancer related deaths occur due to the development of metastatic tumours, and to be able to develop efficient therapies for malignant cancers it is necessary to uncover and study in detail the specific characteristics that allow cancer cells to disseminate from the site of primary tumour. Recent work has implicated proteins that regulate cell movment known as chemokines in this process. We wish to identify and understand the mechanisms by which breast cancer cells use chemokines and their receptors, molecules normally employed by blood cells, to promote tumour metastasis to specific anatomical sites with a view to identify novel targets for therapeutic intervention and risk assessment in breast cancer