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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 30, 2026

Heteromulticellular Stromal Cells in Scaffold-free 3D Cultures of Epithelial Cancer Cells to Drive Invasion
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Targeting ECM Disrupts Cancer Progression.

Freja A Venning1, Lena Wullkopf1, Janine T Erler1

  • 1Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen (UCPH) , Copenhagen , Denmark.

Frontiers in Oncology
|November 6, 2015
PubMed
Summary

The extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a critical role in cancer spread. Targeting deregulated ECM proteins shows promise in preventing cancer progression and metastasis.

Keywords:
collagen Iextracellular matrixhyaluronanmetastasisperiostintenascin C

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Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Biochemistry
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Metastatic complications cause over 90% of cancer deaths.
  • Cancer progression involves complex interactions between tumor cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM).
  • Deregulation of ECM proteins alters tumor microenvironment biochemistry and biomechanics, promoting metastasis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the influence of ECM proteins on cancer spread.
  • To highlight therapeutic strategies targeting ECM macromolecules.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review focusing on ECM proteins and cancer metastasis.
  • Analysis of preclinical and clinical data on ECM-targeting therapies.

Main Results:

  • Specific ECM proteins are significantly altered during cancer progression.
  • These alterations facilitate multiple steps of the metastatic cascade.
  • Promising preclinical and clinical data exist for ECM-targeting interventions.

Conclusions:

  • The extracellular matrix is a key regulator of cancer metastasis.
  • Targeting ECM proteins represents a promising strategy to inhibit cancer progression.