The biology of cancer metastasis.

摘要

Despite advances in early diagnosis, surgical techniques, systemic therapies, and patient care, the major cause of death from cancer is due to metastases that are resistant to therapy. Since metastasis frequently occurs prior to diagnosis of a primary tumor, surgical excision is not curative. Continual empiricism in the treatment of cancer is unlikely to produce significant improvements and therefore understanding the mechanisms responsible for cancer metastasis must be a primary goal of research. Some 40 years ago, an international meeting of scientists working in the field of metastasis could have been held in a small classroom. Metastasis research was not viewed as particularly attractive or interesting. I clearly recall a prevailing viewpoint that cancer metastasis was "the ultimate expression of cellular anarchy" and, as such, the recommendation to young scientists was to dedicate their careers to other areas of cancer research. The current issue of Seminars in Cancer Biology is a pleasing testimonial to the incredible recent progress that has been achieved in the field and the new knowledge of the pathogenesis of metastasis on the systemic, cellular, and molecular levels.