Researchers have found a gene that makes breast cancer tumors more likely to resist treatments such as chemotherpay and more likely to spread to other organs.  Terming this new gene as the "metastasis gene", researchers have found this in 30-40% of the breast cancer patients.

According to the researchers, when this gene is activated in breast cancer patients, it aids the breast cancer tumors to stick tightly to blood vessels in distant organs.  As well, this gene encourages the cancer tumors to become resistent to chemotherapy drugs that have been traditionally used to treat breast cancer.

Researchers from both Princeton Universy and the Cancer Insitute of New Jersey reported their findings in the journal Cancer Cell.

The discovery of this gene could eventually lead to the development of

a test to screne for the existence of this gene in breast cancer tumors and provide insight into the development of medications and treatments to inhibit the gene's activity.  The development of any medications would not only help prevent the cancer from spreading to distant organs but improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy in more women suffering from breast cancer.  It could also help prevent recurrences of breast cancer.

The new gene has been given the name Metadherin, or MTDH.

In examining this gene, researchers also found that it may play a role in prostate cancer metastases.  The same genetic variant has been shown to be in approximately 20% of men suffering from prostate cancer.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of death in women, with the spreading of cancer and chemo-resistance being the two biggest challenges to curing breast cancer.