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Updated: Jun 14, 2026

A Portal Vein Injection Model to Study Liver Metastasis of Breast Cancer
Published on: December 26, 2016
[Liver metastases: pathogenesis and oncogenesis]
U F Wellner1, T Keck, T Brabletz
1Abteilung Allgemein- und Viszeralchirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg i. Br., Hugstetter Strasse 55, Freiburg, Germany.
Abstract:
Liver metastases are most often caused by colorectal cancer, followed by pancreatic and breast cancer. Metastasis constitutes the last step of malignant tumor progression. Molecular investigations point towards an important role of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) as a mechanism of local invasion and distant metastasis formation. Furthermore, the existence of a subpopulation of cancer stem cells (CSC) could be demonstrated in solid tumors. Recent observations show a dynamic induction of CSC properties by EMT. Therefore, theoretically migrating cancer stem cells (MCSC) can be induced which form the basis for the development of distant metastases.
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