title: The role of epidermal growth factor receptor in cancer metastasis and microenvironment.
abstract: Despite significant improvements in diagnosis, surgical techniques, and advancements in general patient care, the majority of deaths from cancer are caused by the metastases. There is an urgent need for an improved understanding of the cellular and molecular factors that promote cancer metastasis. The process of cancer metastasis depends on multiple interactions between cancer cells and host cells. Studies investigating the TGF α-EGFR signaling pathways that promote the growth and spread of cancer cells. Moreover, the signaling activates not only tumor cells, but also tumor-associated endothelial cells. TGF α-EGFR signaling in colon cancer cells creates a microenvironment that is conducive for metastasis, providing a rationale for efforts to inhibit EGFR signaling in TGF α-positive cancers. In this review, we describe the recent advances in our understanding of the molecular basis of cancer metastasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Jonan-ku, Fukuoka 814-0180, Japan. takamitu@fc4.so-net.ne.jp
authors.forename: Takamitsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Kuniyasu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hiroki
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamashita
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000473:pathology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment
chemical_list: D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D066246:ErbB Receptors