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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
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...

Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells

Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells

Cancer cells accumulate genetic changes at an abnormally rapid rate due to the defects in the DNA repair mechanisms. From an evolutionary perspective, such genetic instability is advantageous for cancer development. Mutant cell lines accumulate a series of beneficial mutations that contribute to their progression into cancer.
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...

Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells

Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells

Cancer cells accumulate genetic changes at an abnormally rapid rate due to the defects in the DNA repair mechanisms. From an evolutionary perspective, such genetic instability is advantageous for cancer development. Mutant cell lines accumulate a series of beneficial mutations that contribute to their progression into cancer.
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...

Cancer

Cancer

Cancers arise due to mutations in genes involved in the regulation of cell division, which leads to unrestricted cell proliferation. Modern science and medicine have made great strides in the understanding and treatment of cancer, including eradicating cancer in some patients. However, there is still no cure for cancer. This is largely due to the fact that cancer is a large group of many diseases.

Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Maintenance

Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Maintenance

Early diagnosis and treatment can often cure cancer. However, even with treatment, residual cells called cancer stem cells (CSC) might remain, often causing tumor recurrence. These cancer stem cells possess the potential for self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation and are often responsible for the therapeutic resistance displayed in most cancers.
Cancer stem cells are thought to originate from tissue-specific normal stem cells or progenitor cells. The normal stem cells usually reside in...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 14, 2026

Tracking Tumor Cell Dissemination from Lung Metastases Using Photoconversion

Tracking Tumor Cell Dissemination from Lung Metastases Using Photoconversion

Published on: July 7, 2023

Why cancer cells metastasize?

Xiao-Hui Zhang¹

¹Department of Neuro-Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin Key Laboratory for Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Tianjin 300060, China. zxhui7831@sina.com

Medical Hypotheses

|February 13, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Cancer cell metastasis may be an abnormal migration of native stem/progenitor cells, inheriting their migration abilities. This hypothesis suggests cancer cells exploit stem cell recruitment mechanisms for their own spread.

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Area of Science:

Oncology
Cell Biology
Developmental Biology

Background:

Metastasis is a complex, organized process suggesting an underlying biological rationale.
Cancer cells originate from stem/progenitor cells and may retain stemness properties, including migration.
Existing hypotheses like "seed and soil" do not fully explain the organized nature of metastasis.

Purpose of the Study:

To propose a novel hypothesis explaining the biological basis of cancer metastasis.
To re-evaluate the "seed and soil" hypothesis in light of cancer stem cell properties.
To explore the potential role of stem/progenitor cell migration mechanisms in metastasis.

Main Methods:

Conceptual hypothesis formulation based on existing literature.
Analysis of cancer cell derivation from stem/progenitor cells.
Comparison of cancer cell migration with native stem/progenitor cell migration.

Main Results:

Cancer metastasis is hypothesized as an aberrant migration of stem/progenitor cells, leveraging inherent stemness and migration abilities.
Cancer cells may hijack stem/progenitor cell recruitment pathways for organismal repair to facilitate metastasis.
The "soil" microenvironment may be actively formed, attracting cancer "seeds" with specific affinities, potentially mimicking stem cell niches.

Conclusions:

Cancer metastasis may be an evolutionary conserved process repurposed by cancer cells, mimicking normal stem cell functions.
Understanding this link could elucidate why only a fraction of migrating cancer cells successfully form metastases.
Further investigation into this hypothesis may reveal critical factors governing metastasis formation and identify new therapeutic targets.