Smell receptor fuels prostate cancer progression

Researchers have found that an olfactory receptor plays a critical role in the progression of prostate cancer. They found that activating the receptor — called OR51E2 — in prostate cancer cells caused the cancer to morph into the more aggressive, castration-resistant form of the disease. The finding suggests that taking the opposite approach — blocking the receptor with specific molecules, or perhaps even with specific scents — could provide a new way to treat prostate cancer.