Biological impact of mechanical stimuli on tumor metastasis

Increasing evidence suggests tumor cell exposure to mechanical stimuli during the perioperative period as well as throughout the normal disease process may have a discernable impact on tumor metastasis and patient outcome. In vitro studies have demonstrated that transient exposure to increased extracellular pressure and shear forces modulates integrin binding affinity and stimulates cancer cell adhesion through a cytoskeleton- and focal adhesion complex-dependent signaling mechanism. More prolonged exposure to elevated pressures stimulates tumor cell proliferation by a distinct signaling pathway. Whether pressure effects on cell adhesion and proliferation pose biological ramifications in vivo remained unknown. We recently reported that pressure activation of malignant cells does indeed have a biological impact on surgical wound implantation, tumor development and tumor-free survival in a murine colon tumor model. Moreover, this effect can be disrupted by preoperative administration of colchicine. Taken together with previous work from our laboratory and others, these findings suggest that further elucidation of the mechanical signaling pathways governing pressure-stimulated tumor cell adhesion and proliferation may identify novel therapeutic targets for the treatment and prevention of tumor metastasis.