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Updated: Oct 16, 2025

Lung Tumor Cell Recruitment Assay
Published on: February 26, 2019
Platelet-mediated tumor metastasis mechanism and the role of cell adhesion molecules
Yitian Liu1, Yuan Zhang2, Yong Ding3
1Department of Immunology, the Fourth Military Medical University, #169 Changlexilu Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China; Orthopedic Department of Tangdu Hospital, the Fourth Military Medical University, #1 Xinsi Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China.
Abstract:
Mounting evidence suggests that platelets play an essential role in cancer metastasis. The interactions between platelets and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) promote cancer metastasis. CTCs induce platelet activation and aggregation, and activated platelets gather and protect CTCs from shear stress and natural killer cells. Finally, platelets stimulate CTC anoikis resistance, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, angiogenesis, extravasation, and eventually, metastasis. Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) have been identified as active players during the interaction of CTCs with platelets, but the specific mechanism underlying the contribution of platelet-associated CAMs to CTC metastasis remains unclear. In this review, we introduce the mechanism of platelet-related tumor metastasis and particularly focus on the role of CAMs in it.
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