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Metastasis

Metastasis

Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells from the original site to distant locations in the body. Cancer cells can spread via blood vessels (hematogenous) as well as lymph vessels in the body.
Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition
The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition or EMT is a developmental process commonly observed in wound healing, embryogenesis, and cancer metastasis. EMT is induced by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) or receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) ligands, which further...

Metastasis

Metastasis

Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells from the original site to distant locations in the body. Cancer cells can spread via blood vessels (hematogenous) as well as lymph vessels in the body.
Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition
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The Tumor Microenvironment

The Tumor Microenvironment

Every normal cell or tissue is embedded in a complex local environment called stroma, consisting of different cell types, a basal membrane, and blood vessels. As normal cells mutate and develop into cancer cells, their local environment also changes to allow cancer progression. The tumor microenvironment (TME) consists of a complex cellular matrix of stromal cells and the developing tumor. The cross-talk between cancer cells and surrounding stromal cells is critical to disrupt normal tissue...

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Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Intra-iliac Artery Injection for Efficient and Selective Modeling of Microscopic Bone Metastasis

Intra-iliac Artery Injection for Efficient and Selective Modeling of Microscopic Bone Metastasis

Published on: September 26, 2016

Reflections on miR-ing effects in metastasis.

Nancy Dumont¹, Thea D Tlsty

¹Department of Pathology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.

|July 4, 2009

Summary

MicroRNA-31 (miR-31) regulates key steps in cancer metastasis independently of primary tumor growth. This finding offers potential biomarkers for prognosis and new therapeutic targets for treating metastatic cancer.

Area of Science:

Oncology
Molecular Biology
Genetics

Background:

Metastasis, the spread of cancer, is a complex, multi-step process responsible for the majority of cancer-related deaths.
Understanding the molecular regulators of metastasis is crucial for developing effective cancer therapies.

Discussion:

Valastyan et al. identify microRNA-31 (miR-31) as a key regulator of multiple steps within the metastatic cascade.
The study demonstrates that miR-31's role in metastasis is independent of its effects on primary tumor growth, separating these two critical aspects of cancer progression.

Key Insights:

miR-31 directly influences the metastatic cascade, impacting cancer cell dissemination, survival, and colonization at distant sites.
The regulatory function of miR-31 in metastasis is distinct from its role in primary tumor development, highlighting its specific involvement in cancer spread.

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Last Updated: Jun 21, 2026

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Published on: September 26, 2016

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Published on: June 26, 2019

Outlook:

The findings suggest that miR-31 could serve as a valuable prognostic biomarker for predicting patient outcomes.
Targeting miR-31 presents a novel therapeutic strategy for intervening in the lethal process of cancer metastasis.