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Updated: Aug 24, 2026

A Modified In vitro Invasion Assay to Determine the Potential Role of Hormones, Cytokines and/or Growth Factors in Mediating Cancer Cell Invasion
Published on: April 24, 2015
[Endocrine tumors and growth factors]
1Saitama Cancer Center, Research Institute.
Abstract:
A number of studies have revealed that various growth factors are produced in the malignant progression of endocrine tumors. Growth factors, classified based on their signal transduction pathways, exert the functions by binding to cell surface specific receptors, and promote the growth of tumors by autocrine and paracrine mechanisms. Growth factors such as VEGF and bFGF are also detected in endocrine tumors, and play an important role in the growth and metastasis of tumors via induction of angiogenesis. In the signal transduction pathways growth factors activate various kinases such as mitogen-activated protein kinase and/or phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt. Signaling cross-talk of growth factors, cytokines and steroid hormones has been observed in various endocrine tumors.
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