Genetic basis of human breast cancer metastasis.
Once cancer cells have spread and formed secondary masses, breast cancers are largely incurable even with state-of-the-art medicine. To improve diagnosis and therapy, better markers are needed to distinguish cells which have a high probability for causing clinically relevant, macroscopic metastases. In this review, we summarize the several genes that regulate breast cancer metastasis. Two categories of genes are presented--metastasis activator (ras, MEK1, mta1, proteinases, adhesion molecules, chemoattractants/receptors, autotaxin, PKC, S100A4, RhoC, osteopontin) and metastasis suppressor (Nm23, E-cadherin, TIMPs, KiSS1, Kai1, Maspin, MKK4, BRMS1). While the mechanisms of action for most of these genes are not fully elucidated, some clues are emerging and are presented.
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Jake Gittlen Cancer Research Institute, College of Medicine, Penn State University, Hershey 17033-0850, USA.
Welch
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D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000235:genetics*