Influence of Stromal Components on Lung Cancer Carcinogenesis

The association between tumor growth and angiogenesis was first observed over 100 years ago. Since then, research has shown the dependence of tumor growth on angiogenesis and the ability of cancer cells to alter the stromal microenvironment. Technological advancements have enabled researchers to identify cell types within a tumor, identify chemokines, cytokines, and growth factors secreted by tumor cells, show the interaction between tumor cells and stroma, and investigate the function of distinct genes using knockout and transgenic mouse technology. This review provides an overview of tumor growth, emphasizing research using in vivo mouse models on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibrinogen, fibronectin, plasminogen, and MMPs in primary tumor growth and metastasis of lung cancer in particular.