According to SpiritIndia.com, a new study by researchers at the Mayo Clinic Arizona, pulmonary inflammation increases the risk of lung metastasis among breast cancer patients.

Metastasis refers to the spread of cancer cells from the original tumor site to other parts of the body. This study suggests that breast cancer patients with asthma have a higher chance of the cancer spreading to their lungs. The study also suggests that corticosteroids may decrease this risk.

‘A link between pulmonary inflammation and lung metastasis would not only have significant effects on patient diagnosis and care, but will also immediately affect the way breast cancer patients are treated,’ says Anna Taranova, M.D., senior researcher at Mayo. ‘Those with asthma might be able to reduce their risk of lung metastasis, and increase their survival, with aggressive corticosteroid treatment.’

In a study using mice, allergen-induced pulmonary inflammation (allergic asthma) was associated with a 400% increase in lung metastasis, but coricosteroid treatment wiped out the increased risk.

‘We suspect that the relationship between lung inflammation and metastasis will not be limited to breast cancer patients,’ Dr. Taranova says.

Researchers posit this possible biological link: Activation of cells that line blood vessels is required for both the movement of pro-inflammatory white blood cells into lung tissue (as in asthma) and for the movement of circulating cancer cells from the blood into lung tissue.