Discovery could help predict which early breast cancers will spread

Immune cells that normally protect the body from infection can also drive the progression of some early breast cancers, McGill University researchers have found.

The discovery points to a potential way of distinguishing relatively harmless cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) from those most likely to become invasive, one of the biggest challenges in breast cancer care.

DCIS is an early form of breast cancer that accounts for roughly one-fifth to one-third of cancers detected through screening. 

“Many patients diagnosed with DCIS face difficult treatment decisions because we can’t reliably predict which lesions will progress,” said lead author Tarek Taifour, an MD PhD student in McGill’s Department of Medicine. “We’ve identified a mechanism that brings us a step closer to identifying those at highest risk.”

DCIS is normally held in check by a thin layer of cells that acts like a protective barrier, preventing cancer cells from spreading into nearby tissue.

Researchers studied the disease in mice, human breast tissue samples and 3D tumour models grown in the lab to understand how some cancers break through the barrier.

Results published in Cell Reports Medicine point to an unexpected role of the immune system.

Neutrophils – immune cells best known for fighting infection – release an enzyme called neutrophil elastase that weakens this barrier, the study found. When researchers blocked either the cells or the enzyme, the protective barrier remained intact.

“Cancer can sometimes hijack normal immune processes and turn them into processes that help disease progress. This appears to be an example of that,” said senior author William Muller, Professor in McGill’s Department of Biochemistry.

Many patients diagnosed with DCIS undergo surgery, radiation or other treatments without knowing whether their lesions would have ever become dangerous.

The findings suggest neutrophil elastase could one day serve as a biomarker, helping doctors tailor treatment to a patient’s risk and avoid unnecessary treatment for those whose cancer is unlikely to progress.

Physicians have disabilities too: New research calls for a more accessible medical workforce

New research indicates that five per cent of practising physicians report a disability “always or often,” and another 12 per cent report disability “sometimes.” The authors call for action on improving accessibility to ensure equity and sustainability in the physician workforce. The study is published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

“Physicians with disabilities frequently face discrimination, inaccessible workplaces, and inadequate support,” writes Dr. Michael Quon, a general internal medicine specialist and clinician investigator at The Ottawa Hospital, and an assistant professor, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, with coauthors. “Not retaining physicians with disabilities in the workforce means losing skilled providers with valuable perspectives, negatively affecting human health resources. Improving accessibility in medicine is important.” 

The study, based on data from the 2021 Canadian long-form Census, helps fill an important gap in evidence about the prevalence of disability in practising physicians and their demographics. Unlike other studies, which were voluntary, the Census is mandatory, with a 97% completion rate by a randomly selected 25% of the population living in Canada, making this study nationally representative. 

The most commonly reported disability was mental health (40%) followed by visual (37%), hearing (15%), mobility or physical (13%), and cognitive or learning (6%). Disabilities were more common in female (6.0%) than male physicians (4.5%).

The authors note that younger age does not preclude disability. 

“While disability rates generally increased with age, the prevalence in physicians younger than 35 years remained notable (5.2%),” says Dr. Quon. “The prevalence of hearing, mobility, and physical disabilities increased with age, while mental health disabilities were more common in younger age groups.”

Physicians report fewer disabilities compared with other professions, such as law, academia, engineering, and nursing, as well as the general workforce.  

The authors emphasize that supporting physicians with disabilities is important for Canada’s health systems. 

“Disabilities are an important yet often overlooked contributor to workforce diversity,” write the authors. “Ensuring accessible work environments and equitable policies can promote the well-being and retention of physicians with disabilities and support those seeking to return to practice. Beyond benefits to the physicians themselves, advancing accessibility might enhance patient care by fostering a workforce that better reflects the populations it serves.” 

“Prevalence and characteristics of disabilities in physicians in Canada; an analysis of Canadian Census data” is published October 13, 2026. 

The post Discovery could help predict which early breast cancers will spread appeared first on Hospital News.