Biomaterial Database

The biology of melanoma metastasis. 1988

I J Fidler

Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030.

The process of cancer metastasis is sequential and selective and contains stochastic elements. The growth of melanoma metastases represents the endpoint of many lethal events that few tumor cells can survive. Primary tumors consist of multiple subpopulations of cells with heterogeneous metastatic properties, and the outcome of metastasis depends on the interplay of metastatic tumor cells with various host factors. This viewpoint is more optimistic than that of metastasis as a random process. A selective biological process is regulated by the interaction of tumor cells with their host, and these complex interactions can now be studied and manipulated.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008545	Melanoma	A malignant neoplasm derived from cells that are capable of forming melanin, which may occur in the skin of any part of the body, in the eye, or, rarely, in the mucous membranes of the genitalia, anus, oral cavity, or other sites. It occurs mostly in adults and may originate de novo or from a pigmented nevus or malignant lentigo. Melanomas frequently metastasize widely, and the regional lymph nodes, liver, lungs, and brain are likely to be involved. The incidence of malignant skin melanomas is rising rapidly in all parts of the world. (Stedman, 25th ed; from Rook et al., Textbook of Dermatology, 4th ed, p2445)	Malignant Melanoma,Malignant Melanomas,Melanoma, Malignant,Melanomas,Melanomas, Malignant
D009360	Neoplastic Cells, Circulating	Exfoliate neoplastic cells circulating in the blood and associated with metastasizing tumors.	Circulating Neoplastic Cells,Embolic Tumor Cells,Embolism, Tumor,Neoplasm Circulating Cells,Tumor Cells, Embolic,Cells, Neoplasm Circulating,Circulating Cells, Neoplasm,Circulating Tumor Cells,Cell, Circulating Neoplastic,Cell, Circulating Tumor,Cell, Embolic Tumor,Cell, Neoplasm Circulating,Cells, Circulating Neoplastic,Cells, Circulating Tumor,Cells, Embolic Tumor,Circulating Neoplastic Cell,Circulating Tumor Cell,Embolic Tumor Cell,Embolisms, Tumor,Neoplasm Circulating Cell,Neoplastic Cell, Circulating,Tumor Cell, Circulating,Tumor Cell, Embolic,Tumor Cells, Circulating,Tumor Embolism,Tumor Embolisms
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
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012878	Skin Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the SKIN.	Cancer of Skin,Skin Cancer,Cancer of the Skin,Neoplasms, Skin,Cancer, Skin,Cancers, Skin,Neoplasm, Skin,Skin Cancers,Skin Neoplasm