New evidence for tumour embolism as a mode of metastasis.
The demonstration that a significant proportion of patients with renal carcinomas of the clear cell type have tumour cell clumps or aggregates in venous outflow from the kidney has interest from two viewpoints. Firstly, the association of this occurrence with high VEGF-A production by the cancer seems to suggest a novel mode of 'budding' invasion where nests of tumour cells enter the dilated and mechanically fragile new vessels supplying the cancerous growth. Secondly, with the association of fragment occurrence and metastatic development, the entrance of clumps into the circulation indicates that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is not an obligatory step for the disseminatory behaviour of all cancers.
Hart
Ian R
IR
Centre for Tumour Biology, Institute of Cancer and CR-UK Clinical Centre, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, John Vane Science Centre, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UK. i.hart@qmul.ac.uk
D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000096:biosynthesis
D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A