Biomaterial Database

Biology of cancer invasion and metastasis. 1992

M M Mareel, and R Crombez

Department of Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.

Current concepts of invasion eventually leading to metastasis are discussed and exemplified by cancers of the head and neck mucosa. Invasion occurs at a number of steps, each step making an ecosystem comprising not only the neoplastic cells but also their normal counterparts, a variety of host cells and the extracellular matrix. The ecosystem concept may explain aspects of metastasis such as site-dependence and organ-specificity of cancer metastasis as well as invasiveness of normal leucocytes. Genes implicated in invasion and metastasis are actively searched for. Recently, the epithelial cell-cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin has been identified as an i- (invasion suppressor) gene product, i.e. a molecule the expression of which counterbalances i+ (invasion promotor) gene activity. Downregulation of E-cadherin in human head and neck cancers may account for their invasive and metastatic behaviour.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009361	Neoplasm Invasiveness	Ability of neoplasms to infiltrate and actively destroy surrounding tissue.	Invasiveness, Neoplasm,Neoplasm Invasion,Invasion, Neoplasm
D009362	Neoplasm Metastasis	The transfer of a neoplasm from one organ or part of the body to another remote from the primary site.	Metastase,Metastasis,Metastases, Neoplasm,Metastasis, Neoplasm,Neoplasm Metastases,Metastases
D009928	Organ Specificity	Characteristic restricted to a particular organ of the body, such as a cell type, metabolic response or expression of a particular protein or antigen.	Tissue Specificity,Organ Specificities,Specificities, Organ,Specificities, Tissue,Specificity, Organ,Specificity, Tissue,Tissue Specificities
D010641	Phenotype	The outward appearance of the individual. It is the product of interactions between genes, and between the GENOTYPE and the environment.	Phenotypes
D006258	Head and Neck Neoplasms	Soft tissue tumors or cancer arising from the mucosal surfaces of the LIP; oral cavity; PHARYNX; LARYNX; and cervical esophagus. Other sites included are the NOSE and PARANASAL SINUSES; SALIVARY GLANDS; THYROID GLAND and PARATHYROID GLANDS; and MELANOMA and non-melanoma skin cancers of the head and neck. (from Holland et al., Cancer Medicine, 4th ed, p1651)	Cancer of Head and Neck,Head Cancer,Head Neoplasm,Head and Neck Cancer,Head and Neck Neoplasm,Neck Cancer,Neck Neoplasm,Neck Neoplasms,Neoplasms, Upper Aerodigestive Tract,UADT Neoplasm,Upper Aerodigestive Tract Neoplasm,Upper Aerodigestive Tract Neoplasms,Cancer of Head,Cancer of Neck,Cancer of the Head,Cancer of the Head and Neck,Cancer of the Neck,Head Neoplasms,Head, Neck Neoplasms,Neoplasms, Head,Neoplasms, Head and Neck,Neoplasms, Neck,UADT Neoplasms,Cancer, Head,Cancer, Neck,Cancers, Head,Cancers, Neck,Head Cancers,Neck Cancers,Neoplasm, Head,Neoplasm, Neck,Neoplasm, UADT,Neoplasms, UADT
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man