A therapy that may block further metastasis from breast cancer is being studied in the lab. The monoclonal antibody, known as JAA-F11, was shown to create a survival advantage in mice with breast cancer and substantially reduce the development of lung metastasis.

The monoclonal antibody inhibited the adhesion to the breast tumor cells to endothelial cells, which would block a key step in metastasis. The study showed that 53 percent of treated mice had no visible lung metastasis.

Dr. Rittenhouse-Olson, of the University at Buffalo, New York, concluded "If JAA-F11 were linked to a radioactive compound, it may be successful in conjunction with current chemotherapy in decreasing or eliminating the tumor".

Understanding more about antibodies, antigens and monoclonal antibodies:

Disease causing bacteria and viruses, known as antigens, are recognized by the body's own immune system as invaders. Our natural defenses against these infectious agents are antibodies, proteins that seek out the antigens and help destroy them.

Each antibody binds to and attacks one specific antigen. Antibodies also can continue resistance, for example, we can acquire chickenpox when we are children and most times never experience the disease again.

This characteristic of antibodies achieving resistance makes it possible to develop vaccines. A vaccine when entered into the body, stimulates the production of antibodies against the specific antigen.

Monoclonal antibody technology allow us to produce large amounts of pure antibodies obtaining cells that produce antibodies naturally, in effect having a factory to produce antibodies that worked around the clock. The antibodies are called monoclonal because they come from only one type of cell.