论文部分内容阅读
It is the tumor microenvironment that determines and shapes the metastatic phenotype of cancer cells.The non-malignant cells; the molecules present in proximity to the tumor cells and the specific conditions existing in the tumor tissue, can be collectively described as the tumor microenvironment.Both the tumor cells as well as neighboring non-tumor cells take part in establishing the microenvironmental milieu.Studies published in the last 3-4 decades established that the tumor microenvironment does not only serve as a passive growth medium for cancer cells but mainly, as an interaction arena between microenvironmental components and tumor cells.Each of the interactions partners is capable of regulating gene expression in all the other partners thereby shaping their phenotype.As such, the microenvironment operates primarily, as an active "educational/inductive"venue in which the tumor is directed into one of several molecular evolution pathways.It is becoming increasingly clear that many, perhaps most, interactions between tumor cells and microenvironmental factors drive tumor progression.Several tumor progression promoting interactions between tumor cells and microenvironmental components such as monocytes/macrophages, endothelial cells, chemokines and adhesion molecules will be described and discussed.