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Metastasis: an early event in cancer progression

  • Review – Cancer Research
  • Published:
Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Metastasis is the leading cause of death for a majority of cancer patients, and thus the need to understand the biology of metastasis becomes increasingly acute. When metastasis is initiated in tumor progression remains obscure. Better understanding of mechanisms regulating acquisition of metastatic ability in tumor cells will provide novel therapeutic targets and prevention of metastasis in clinics accompanied with the treatment of the primary tumor might be helpful in reducing metastasis-related mortality.

Methods

A literature search was performed in multiple electronic databases. Research papers from clinical reports to experimental studies on metastasis were analyzed.

Results

The article discusses tumor heterogeneity and genomic instability in the context of metastasis and tumor cell dissemination. And then we review biological mechanism of metastasis at an early stage in both intracellular (CSCs and CTCs) and extracellular (microenvironment) context. Finally, current development of anti-metastatic therapies is summarized.

Conclusions

Metastasis could be initiated at an early point of tumor progression. Therefore, early intervention on metastasis should be applied among cancer patients in clinical settings.

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Author contribution

HYJ reviewed the literature and drafted the manuscript. Y.XY and X.GX analyzed the literature and revised the manuscript. L.SR provided the conception of the review and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Funding

This work was supported by the China National Funds for Distinguished Young Scientists (Grant No: 81425019) and specially appointed Professor of Shanghai (Grant No: GZ2015009) to S.R Liu.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Research Center, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China

    Yijun Hu & Guixia Xu

  2. Department of Laboratory Diagnostics, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China

    Yijun Hu & Shanrong Liu

  3. Department of Anesthesiology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China

    Xiya Yu

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  1. Yijun Hu
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  2. Xiya Yu
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  3. Guixia Xu
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  4. Shanrong Liu
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Correspondence to Shanrong Liu.

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Hu, Y., Yu, X., Xu, G. et al. Metastasis: an early event in cancer progression. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 143, 745–757 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-016-2279-0

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