Lecture 16 - Invasion and metastasis

Question 1

Metastasis: what is it and how often does it cause deaths in cancer?

Answer 1

The process by which tumour cells disseminate to distant sites to establish discontinuous secondary tumours

90% of mortality

Question 2

What are the major steps of metastasis?

Answer 2

1 - detach from the site of origin and breach the basement membrane
2 - migrate through stroma
3 - cross endothelial layer
4 - travel through blood/lymph vessel
5 - extravasate into distant tissue
6 - Establish a new colony of cells