Tumor Cell Dormancy—a Hallmark of Metastatic Growth and Disease Recurrence in Bone

Abstract

Dormant disseminated tumor cells are thought to play a pivotal role in driving tumor growth in bone and are likely responsible for disease recurrence following chemotherapy; however, the mechanisms regulating these processes remain unclear. Herein, we discuss recent advances controlling the mechanisms of tumor cell dormancy in bone and discuss the clinical implications of these findings. Recent studies have defined gene expression signatures for dormant tumor cells in bone, identifying novel pathways that we can potentially exploit to target these cells. Using intravital imaging and cell fate tracking, bone cells within the bone microenvironment have been shown to play a critical role in regulating tumor cell dormancy and growth, highlighting local bone cell activity as a novel avenue to control tumor cell growth and a role for bone cell niches in supporting dormancy and treatment resistance. Due to advances in pre-clinical imaging and sequencing tools, we have a greater understanding of the phenomenon of tumor cell dormancy in bone, ultimately opening avenues for novel targeted treatments.