Angiogenesis
- The development of blood vessels is an essential step in tumor growth.
- A tumor cannot grow larger than a fraction of an inch without a blood supply.
- Tumor cells produce or cause other cells to produce growth factors that stimulate blood vessel formation.
Angiogenesis Inhibitors
- Some cells produce naturally occurring inhibitors of angiogenesis.
- These inhibitors are a focus of research as possible cancer treatments.
- Several anti-angiogenesis cancer drugs are already on the market and more are being tested.
- Angiogenesis inhibitors have two main benefits as a treatment:
- They should be less toxic than conventional chemotherapy.
- Because they target normal cells and not the cancer cells themselves, they should be less likely to lead to the selection of drug-resistant tumors.
Metastasis
- Metastasis is the process by which cancer cells spread to distant locations in the body.
- The majority of death associated with cancer is due to the metastasis of the original tumor cells.
- Metastasizing cancer cells must secrete a mixture of digestive enzymes in order to degrade barriers.
- Cancer cells may use the circulatory system to move to a suitable location to settle.
- Metastasis is a very inefficient process. Most cancer cells die once they leave the original tumor.
Lymphatic Metastasis
- Cancer can use the lymphatic system as well as the circulatory system to metastasize.
- The movement of cancer cells via the lymphatic system into lymph nodes is used in the detection of metastatic disease and tumor staging.
Some cancers may spread through direct contact with other organs, as in the gut cavity.
Metastatic tumors often interfere with the functions of affected organs.
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