Solitary cancer cells as a possible source of tumour dormancy?

Metastasis can occur many years after primary tumour treatment. However, the status of the tumour during this period of dormancy is poorly understood. As part of our ongoing experimental studies on mechanisms of metastasis, we have discovered that large numbers of disseminated single cells may persi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Seminars in cancer biology 2001-08, Vol.11 (4), p.271-276
Main Authors: Naumov, George N., MacDonald, Ian C., Chambers, Ann F., Groom, Alan C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
animal models / in vivo videomicroscopy / isolated tumour cells / metastasis / tumour dormancy
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Cell Division
Cell Survival
Dissemination
Humans
Medical sciences
Neoplasm Metastasis - pathology
Neoplasms - pathology
Neoplasms - therapy
Neoplastic Cells, Circulating
Tumor cell
tumor dormancy
Tumors
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Summary:Metastasis can occur many years after primary tumour treatment. However, the status of the tumour during this period of dormancy is poorly understood. As part of our ongoing experimental studies on mechanisms of metastasis, we have discovered that large numbers of disseminated single cells may persist in secondary sites for extended time periods. Identification of these cells was facilitated by in vivo techniques developed to quantify the fate of individual cells during the metastatic process. Here we review these in vivo techniques and findings. We also discuss the potential clinical implications if dormant solitary cells exist in appreciable numbers in cancer patients.
ISSN:1044-579X
1096-3650
DOI:10.1006/scbi.2001.0382