Grant: Operating Grant

Cancers can be controlled even if the mutated cells remain viable, but are locked in a state known as dormancy. One feature of progressive cancers is the activation of the blood clotting (coagulation) system. We study brain tumours where we observed that cells unable to form tumours also lack the clotting protein - tissue factor (TF). These tumour cells remain viable, but stay dormant in the brain of mice, often for months. If TF is triggered tumour growth ensues. We also observed that this 'awakening' is linked to the ability of the clotting system (especially TF) to activate inflammation and blood vessel growth around cancer cells, and these processes cause cancer cell DNA to mutate. This effect has not been recognized, and we will study it deeper, to find ways to prevent blood clotting reaction from mutating cancer cells and triggering them to grow and invade tissues.