The mechanism of cancer metastasis and advances in potential treatment for anaplastic thyroid cancer
Journal
Journal of Internal Medicine of Taiwan
Journal Volume
19
Journal Issue
6
Pages
472-480
Date Issued
2008
Author(s)
Abstract
Most cancer deaths are caused by metastasis rather than the primary tumor. Therefore, nowadays, it is crucial to understand the mechanism of metastasis more and more. Early in the nineteenth century, Paget postulated the "seed and soil" theory to explain the phenomenon: the disseminating cancer cells ("seed") need to find the appropriate microenviorment in target organs ("soil") for metastatic growth. Pathologically, as parasites, the cancer cells exploit the host and survive depending on the host environment. Cancer cells can use multiple strategies to metastasize successfully. Besides angiogenesis, other mechanisms exemplified as epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) making cells more migratory and invasive, and exhibiting marked cell plasticity for adaptive switch in different host environment. There is also a close crosstalk and interaction between cancer cells and the host microenvironment (including fibroblasts, immune cells, and extracelluar matrix). The interaction will determine and influence the progression of cancer at all stages. Regarding why cancer cells would metastasize to the specified distant organ, recently, there are emerging evidences supporting the chemoattraction theory (the attraction between cytokines and its corresponding receptors), as the mechanism of inflammation. There are also accumulating evidences supporting the concept of cancer stem cells. Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) has very high metastasis and mortality rates among all human cancers. Conventional treatments for ATC include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or their combination. Current treatment results are very disappointing and the patients' average survival period is only three months after establishing diagnosis. Recently, because of the better understanding the mechanism of metastasis, there are various potential target therapy medicines for ATC conducted in vitro or in vivo experiments. The future clinical trial results may be promising.
SDGs
Other Subjects
6 [4 (4 ethyl 1 piperazinylmethyl)phenyl] 4 (alpha methylbenzylamino) 7h pyrrolo[2,3 d]pyrimidine; alphaVbeta6 integrin; anileridine; bevacizumab; bleomycin; cisplatin; combretastatin A4 phosphate; cytokeratin; cytokine; cytokine receptor; desmoplakin; doxorubicin; fibronectin; gefitinib; gelatinase A; gelatinase B; imatinib; manumycin; melphalan; nerve cell adhesion molecule; occludin; paclitaxel; protein ZO1; sorafenib; st 151; stromelysin; transcription factor Snail; transcription factor Twist; unclassified drug; unindexed drug; uvomorulin; vimentin; anaplastic carcinoma; article; cancer cell; cancer mortality; cancer radiotherapy; cancer research; cancer staging; cancer stem cell; cancer survival; cell interaction; cell invasion; cell migration; clinical trial; disease course; epithelium cell; extracellular matrix; fibroblast; human; immunocompetent cell; inflammation; mesenchyme cell; metastasis potential; nonhuman; thyroid cancer; thyroid surgery; treatment outcome; tumor vascularization
Type
journal article