title: Progress in the research on the mechanism of bone metastasis in lung cancer.
abstract: Lung cancer is still the predominant cause of cancer-associated mortality worldwide. The bone metastasis of lung cancer brings great suffering to the patient. Previous advances have provided insights into the mechanism of bone metastasis. Previous research has investigated lung cancer stem cells and three steps were determined for the lung cancer cells to metastasize to the bone: i) Escaping from the primary tumor; ii) moving in the circulation; iii) colonizing in the bone. Key molecules are involved in each of these process. Although there is a close association and similarity, dynamic microenvironments affect these processes. The receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB (RANK)/RANKL axis serves a vital role in the regulation of the generation and activation of osteoclasts during the osteolytic lesion. However, the specific molecules for the lung cancer cells to metastasize to the bone require further research and exploration. The present study aimed to investigate the relative molecular mechanisms of bone metastasis in lung cancer in recent years, providing a general understanding about the features of lung cancer preferences to bone, and discussing other things that require investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Postgraduates, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Qinqin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200030, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhenye
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200030, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Lifang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Postgraduates, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Mingyu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruan
authors.affiliation: Department of Postgraduates, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Guiyu
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jin
keywords: bone metastasis; lung cancer; lung cancer stem cells; microenvironment; osteoclast