A Case of Acinic Cell Carcinoma Metastasizing to the Heart

Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells from the original site to distant locations in the body. Cancer cells can spread via blood vessels (hematogenous) as well as lymph vessels in the body.
Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition
The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition or EMT is a developmental process commonly observed in wound healing, embryogenesis, and cancer metastasis. EMT is induced by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) or receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) ligands, which further...

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.
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...

Myocarditis is inflammation of the myocardium, which is the muscular layer of the heart.EtiologyMyocarditis has a diverse etiology, including a wide range of infectious and non-infectious causes:Infectious CausesViral: Common viruses include Coxsackie A and B, adenovirus, parvovirus B19, enteroviruses, and influenza A.Bacterial: Examples include infections caused by Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and Mycoplasma species.Rickettsial: Infections like Rocky Mountain spotted fever can result in...

The pathophysiology of Acute Coronary Syndrome [ACD] involves several key processes:The main underlying cause of ACD is atherosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by the buildup of lipid-laden plaques within the coronary arteries.As the atherosclerotic plaque grows in the coronary artery, it may become unstable due to the formation of a lipid-rich core and a thin fibrous cap. Inflammatory cells within the plaque, such as macrophages, secrete enzymes that degrade the...

Invadosome is a broad category of cell surface structures with proteolytic activity that  degrades the extracellular matrix (ECM). Invadosomes are present in normal cell types, including macrophages, endothelial cells, and neurons, as well as tumor cells. Although the macrophage podosomes and tumor cell invadopodia are classified as invadosomes, they have different structures, molecular pathways, and functions. Podosomes are short structures that last for a few minutes. However,...