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Related Concept Videos

The Tumor Microenvironment02:17

The Tumor Microenvironment

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Every normal cell or tissue is embedded in a complex local environment called stroma, consisting of different cell types, a basal membrane, and blood vessels. As normal cells mutate and develop into cancer cells, their local environment also changes to allow cancer progression. The tumor microenvironment (TME) consists of a complex cellular matrix of stromal cells and the developing tumor. The cross-talk between cancer cells and surrounding stromal cells is critical to disrupt normal tissue...
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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.
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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.
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The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
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Tumor progression is a phenomenon where the pre-formed tumor acquires successive mutations to become clinically more aggressive and malignant. In the 1950s, Foulds first described the stepwise progression of cancer cells through successive stages.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 27, 2025

Studying the Effects of Tumor-Secreted Paracrine Ligands on Macrophage Activation using Co-Culture with Permeable Membrane Supports
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Tumor Microenvironment - Selective Pressures Boosting Cancer Progression.

Sofia C Nunes1,2

  • 1CEDOC, Chronic Diseases Research Centre, NOVA Medical School | Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
|March 5, 2020
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cancer cells evolve within the tumor microenvironment, facing selective pressures like hypoxia and therapies. Understanding these ecological dynamics is key to overcoming chemoresistance and improving cancer treatment outcomes.

Keywords:
CancerEvolutionMetabolic selectionMicroenvironment

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Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Biology
  • Evolutionary Medicine

Background:

  • Cancer is a leading global cause of death, with chemoresistance hindering treatment efficacy.
  • Cancer progression is increasingly viewed as an evolutionary and ecological process.
  • Tumor microenvironment (TME) acts as an ecological niche for cancer cells, influencing their adaptation and survival.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To discuss the role of TME selective pressures in cancer progression.
  • To explore targeting TME features as a strategy against cancer.
  • To bridge the gap between cancer evolutionary ecology and clinical applications.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on cancer evolutionary biology and TME.
  • Analysis of selective pressures within the TME (e.g., acidosis, hypoxia, immune interactions, therapy).
  • Discussion of therapeutic strategies targeting TME components.

Main Results:

  • The TME imposes significant selective pressures that drive cancer cell adaptation and chemoresistance.
  • Cancer cells must adapt to TME challenges or face extinction.
  • Targeting TME elements presents a promising avenue for novel cancer therapies.

Conclusions:

  • The tumor microenvironment is a critical determinant of cancer progression and treatment response.
  • Applying evolutionary and ecological principles to cancer is essential for clinical advancement.
  • Developing therapies that target the TME holds potential to overcome chemoresistance and improve patient outcomes.