There is also some kind of interaction taking place, but the nature of that interaction is not well defined. These findings represent an opening whereby we can understand the communication taking place so that one day therapies can regulate it. Welch further explains that this work has implications beyond melanoma. The molecules involved here may be early insight as to why certain cancers spread preferentially to some organs. For example, breast cancer spreads to lymph nodes and then two-thirds of patients get bone metastasis.
Colon cancer spreads first to the liver.
Consequently, he believes that cancer cells can only survive in certain places and that is where they migrate.