Why don't we get more cancer? A proposed role of the microenvironment in restraining cancer progression

The microenvironment has a central role in tumor promotion. Here Mina Bissell and William C. Hines discuss how the normal tissue architecture may substantially suppress tumor development and how loss of normal tissue homeostasis results in an aberrant microenvironment that is conducive to tumor deve...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature medicine Vol. 17; no. 3; pp. 320 - 329
Main Authors: Bissell, Mina J, Hines, William C
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: New York Nature Publishing Group US 01-03-2011
Nature Publishing Group
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Summary:The microenvironment has a central role in tumor promotion. Here Mina Bissell and William C. Hines discuss how the normal tissue architecture may substantially suppress tumor development and how loss of normal tissue homeostasis results in an aberrant microenvironment that is conducive to tumor development. Tumors are like new organs and are made of multiple cell types and components. The tumor competes with the normal microenvironment to overcome antitumorigenic pressures. Before that battle is won, the tumor may exist within the organ unnoticed by the host, referred to as 'occult cancer'. We review how normal tissue homeostasis and architecture inhibit progression of cancer and how changes in the microenvironment can shift the balance of these signals to the procancerous state. We also include a discussion of how this information is being tailored for clinical use.
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ISSN:1078-8956
1546-170X
DOI:10.1038/nm.2328