Cellular Phenotype Plasticity in Cancer Dormancy and Metastasis

Cancer dormancy is a period of cancer progression in which residual tumor cells exist, but clinically remain asymptomatic for a long time, as well as resistant to conventional chemo- and radiotherapies. Cellular phenotype plasticity represents that cellular phenotype could convert between epithelial...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Frontiers in oncology 2018-11, Vol.8, p.505-505
Main Authors: Yang, Xiao, Liang, Xinhua, Zheng, Min, Tang, Yaling
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
cancer cell dormancy
cancer metastasis
cellular phenotype plasticity
EMT
MET
Oncology
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Summary:Cancer dormancy is a period of cancer progression in which residual tumor cells exist, but clinically remain asymptomatic for a long time, as well as resistant to conventional chemo- and radiotherapies. Cellular phenotype plasticity represents that cellular phenotype could convert between epithelial cells and cells with mesenchymal traits. Recently, this process has been shown to closely associate with tumor cell proliferation, cancer dormancy and metastasis. In this review, we have described different scenarios of how the transition from epithelial to mesenchymal morphology (EMT) and backwards (MET) are connected with the initiation of dormancy and reactivation of proliferation. These processes are fundamental for cancer cells to invade tissues and metastasize. Recognizing the mechanisms underlying the cellular phenotype plasticity as well as dormancy and targeting them is likely to increase the efficiency of traditional tumor treatment inhibiting tumor metastasis.
ISSN:2234-943X
2234-943X
DOI:10.3389/fonc.2018.00505