title: Tumour progression and metastasis.
abstract: The two biological mechanisms that determine types of malignancy are infiltration and metastasis, for which tumour microenvironment plays a key role in developing and establishing the morphology, growth and invasiveness of a malignancy. The microenvironment is formed by complex tissue containing the extracellular matrix, tumour and non-tumour cells, a signalling network of cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, and proteases that control autocrine and paracrine communication among individual cells, facilitating tumour progression. During the development of the primary tumour, the tumour stroma and continuous genetic changes within the cells makes it possible for them to migrate, having to count on a pre-metastatic niche receptor that allows the tumour's survival and distant growth. These niches are induced by factors produced by the primary tumour; if it is eradicated, the active niches become responsible for activating the latent disseminated cells. Due to the importance of these mechanisms, the strategies that develop tumour cells during tumour progression and the way in which the microenvironment influences the formation of metastasis are reviewed. It also suggests that the metastatic niche can be an ideal target for new treatments that make controlling metastasis possible.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biociencias, Fundación Instituto de Estudios Avanzado [IDEA], Caracas 1015-A, Venezuela, Apartado 17606, Caracas 1015-A, Venezuela; Laboratorio de Cultivo de Tejidos y Biología de Tumores, Instituto de Biología Experimental, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Apartado 47114, Caracas, 1041-A, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Arvelo
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biociencias, Fundación Instituto de Estudios Avanzado [IDEA], Caracas 1015-A, Venezuela, Apartado 17606, Caracas 1015-A, Venezuela; Laboratorio de Cultivo de Tejidos y Biología de Tumores, Instituto de Biología Experimental, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Apartado 47114, Caracas, 1041-A, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sojo
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Cultivo de Tejidos y Biología de Tumores, Instituto de Biología Experimental, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Apartado 47114, Caracas, 1041-A, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cotte
keywords: cancer; epithelial–mesenchymal transition; infiltration; latency; metastasis; metastatic niche; microenvironment