Phenotypic Plasticity and Cancer: A System Biology Perspective

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a major axis of phenotypic plasticity not only in diseased conditions such as cancer metastasis and fibrosis but also during normal development and wound healing. Yet-another important axis of plasticity with metastatic implications includes the cancer stem cell (CSCs) and non-CSC transitions. However, in both processes, epithelial (E) and mesenchymal (M) phenotypes are not merely binary states. Cancer cells acquire a spectrum of phenotypes with traits, properties, and markers of both E and M phenotypes, giving rise to intermediary hybrid (E/M) phenotypes. E/M cells play an important role in tumor initiation, metastasis, and disease progression in multiple cancers. Furthermore, the hybrid phenotypes also play a major role in causing therapeutic resistance in cancer. Here, we discuss how a systems biology perspective on the problem, which is implicit in the 'Team Medicine' approach outlined in the theme of this Special Issue of The Journal of Clinical Medicine and includes an interdisciplinary team of experts, is more likely to shed new light on EMT in cancer and help us to identify novel therapeutics and strategies to target phenotypic plasticity in cancer.