"The cancer cells have metastasized..." This is a nightmare for cancer patients and doctors, representing a more painful treatment, close to the footsteps of death. However, hope emerged.
 

He is Shen Tanglong, an associate professor in the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, National Taiwan University.

International journals for sure! To predict the mechanism of cancer metastasis, Shen Tanglong and the American team have found the key to early detection of cancer metastasis after 3 years of research. In short, before cancer cells metastasize, they will release a message molecule, which is encapsulated in nano-sized exosomes, like sentinels, leading to the next organ to attack. Information molecule is a kind of protein receptor (integrin), just like GPS guiding sentinel to a specific location, such as breast cancer cell metastasis to the lungs. Shen Tanglong's team found these sentries and their mechanism of action.

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This major discovery, which is different from the mainstream theory of random metastasis of cancer cells, has been published in the latest issue of the top international journal Nature, encouraging the medical community. Including Cornell University and National Taiwan University School of Medicine, the next phase of clinical trials has already begun.

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"Because (metastasis) can be predicted, this will make cancer truly preventable from the current treatment, which is really life-saving!" said Wang Mingyang, the chief breast cancer surgeon at National Taiwan University.

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Why is it so sensational in "Nature"? Wang Mingyang pointed out that the scientific community is also popular, and "Nature" is the top fashion magazine. It is best if you submit papers without references. You are the first to propose innovative ideas and technological innovations.

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But who is Shen Tanglong? Why is this paper he signed as the first author, not from the medical school, but as a teacher at the School of Plant Pathology and Pests?

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In 2004, under the aura of a PhD in Molecular Medicine at Cornell University, Shen Tanglong rejected the post-doctoral research work at Harvard University and other prestigious universities, and returned to the National Taiwan University Department of Plant Microbiology (formerly the Department of Plant Pathology and Pests), which was at a critical moment of transformation.

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The research and papers he has done have always been loyal to himself and catered to the mainstream: on the one hand, it is the traditional plant pathology in the department, and on the other it is his favorite cancer cell biology.

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For the latter, even in his first year at National Taiwan University, he established a long-distance cell biology course at National Taiwan University and Kyoto University with Li Xinyu of the Department of Life Sciences and Li Caikun of the Faculty of Medicine. Therefore, he got to know Xie Fengzhou.

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