Recently, researchers of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have found the cause behind the growth of the cancer cells even after the induction of chemotherapy. It has been found that when chemotherapy is administered to the patients, a certain protein called WNT16B grows in immense quantity around the tumor hindering the treatment of cancer.

The protein thus produced makes the tumor resistant to chemotherapy. The researchers were reported saying, “…Our findings indicate that the tumor microenvironment also can influence the success or failure of these more precise therapies”.

The findings of the researchers can help researchers in developing effective strategies to fight with cancer cells. Patients with solid tumors like stomach cancer, breast cancer and brain tumor are head to treat because of the production of excess of protein.

The findings of the researchers have been published in the journal, Nature Medicine. It is believed that about 90% of the cancer patients develop resistance to chemotherapy. Following the findings, researchers are now looking at the ways by which the production of the protein could be reduced. It has been informed that protein cells grow more rapidly as compared to healthy cells. Cancer cells also multiply quite rapidly therefore a concrete and effective treatment of cancer is required to be developed.