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The architect who never sleeps: tumor-induced plasticity
Julia Varga1, Tiago De Oliveira1, Florian R Greten1
1Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 42-44, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
None:
Tumor cell plasticity is an event that has been observed in several malignancies. In fact, most of the solid tumors are characterized by cellular heterogeneity and undergo constant changes as the tumor develops. The increased plasticity displayed by these cells allows them to acquire additional properties, enabling epithelial-mesenchymal transitions, dedifferentiation and the acquisition of stem cell-like properties. Here we discuss the particular importance of an inflammatory microenvironment for the bidirectional control of cellular plasticity and the potential for therapeutic intervention.
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