Webinar | Deciphering cancer: Understanding tumor invasion and the metastatic microenvironment

Abstract

Tumor metastasis is a multistep process that includes stimulation of angiogenesis, intravasation of tumor cells into blood or lymphatic vessels, and subsequent engraftment and extravasation to peripheral tissues where secondary tumors are seeded. It is known that metastatic progression is driven by mutational and epigenetic changes in tumor cells, but more recent efforts have focused on the evolving interplay between the tumor cell and the tumor microenvironment (TME) during invasion and transition from micrometastasis to macrometastasis. Whether the tumor cell or the subverted vascular niche/premetastatic niche is the driver of TME evolution remains the subject of debate. This webinar examines the role of tumor-secreted factors, including exosomes and tumor vascular niche—derived protumorigenic factors in tumor—environment interactions, and their implications for development of therapeutic interventions to arrest metastasis.