title: Determinants of metastatic competency in colorectal cancer.
abstract: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancer types and represents a major therapeutic challenge. Although initial events in colorectal carcinogenesis are relatively well characterized and treatment for early-stage disease has significantly improved over the last decades, the mechanisms underlying metastasis - the main cause of death - remain poorly understood. Correspondingly, no effective therapy is currently available for advanced or metastatic disease. There is increasing evidence that colorectal cancer is hierarchically organized and sustained by cancer stem cells, in concert with various stromal cell types. Here, we review the interplay between cancer stem cells and their microenvironment in promoting metastasis and discuss recent insights relating to both patient prognosis and novel targeted treatment strategies. A better understanding of these topics may aid the prevention or reduction of metastatic burden.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Spain.
authors.forename: Daniele V F
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Tauriello
authors.affiliation: Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calon
authors.affiliation: Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Spain.
authors.forename: Enza
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lonardo
authors.affiliation: Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Spain.|Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Eduard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Batlle
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D063646:Carcinogenesis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D003106:Colon / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy / Q000379:methods; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012007:Rectum / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment
keywords: Heterogeneity; TGF-beta; cancer immunology; cancer stem cells; clonal diversity; combination therapy; dormancy; immunotherapy; stroma; tumour microenvironment