Bowel Cancer Cells Shapeshift to Skin to Enable Deadly Spread

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Scottish scientists just cracked the code on why bowel cancer spreads so aggressively - cancer cells are literally changing their identity!

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These sneaky cancer cells "shapeshift" to mimic skin or muscle cells, making them tougher and better at traveling through your body.

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Why does this matter? When bowel cancer stays put, doctors can often beat it. But once it spreads, survival rates plummet dramatically.

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With more young people getting bowel cancer, understanding how it grows is vital," says Dr. Kevin Myant from University of Edinburgh.

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Researchers discovered the Atrx gene is the key player - when it goes missing, cancer cells shed their bowel identity and start masquerading as other cells.

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How clever is cancer? It chooses to mimic skin cells because they're naturally tougher and built to survive harsh conditions - perfect for spreading.

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Bowel cancer kills 16,800 people in the UK yearly - including 1,700 in Scotland - and rates in young adults are mysteriously rising faster in women.

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What's the potential breakthrough? Scientists might now develop treatments that prevent this cellular disguise, stopping cancer's deadly spread.

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Cancer Research UK is betting big on this discovery, investing £5.5 million to bring together 40+ experts to tackle bowel cancer's rising threat.

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The race is now on to turn this discovery into treatments that could save thousands by blocking cancer's ability to change its identity.

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