Acute inflammation induced by the biopsy of mouse mammary tumors promotes the development of metastasis

Abstract

Development of metastasis in peripheral tissues is a major problem in the fight to cure breast cancer. Although it is becoming evident that chronic inflammation can contribute to tumor progression and metastasis, the effect of acute inflammation in primary tumor is less known. Using mouse models for breast cancer here we show that biopsy of mammary tumors increases the frequency of lung metastases. This effect is associated with the recruitment of inflammatory cells to the lung and elevated levels of certain cytokines such as IL-6 in the lung airways. Antiinflammatory treatment prior to and after the biopsy reduces the development of metastases triggered by the biopsy. In addition, while lack of IL-6 does not affect primary tumor development, it protects from increasing number of metastases upon biopsy. Thus, our studies show that in addition to chronic inflammation, acute immune response caused by invasive procedures in the primary tumor may cause an increased risk on peripheral metastases, but the risk could be decreased by anti-inflammatory treatments.

Wound healing‐like immune program facilitates postpartum mammary gland involution and tumor progression

“…Relevance in breast cancer has recently been obtained, as mammary gland biopsies in rodents promotes lung metastasis through recruitment of immune cells 46 and a skin-wound adjacent to a mammary tumor stimulates tumor progression 47 . These studies support a potential for tumor promotional effects of wound healing programs associated with normal mammary gland involution.…”

Impaired wound healing: facts and hypotheses for multi-professional considerations in predictive, preventive and personalised medicine

“…Additionally, acute inflammation triggered by a biopsy in mammary mouse model was shown to enhance the risk of developing peripheral metastases. This is probably due the inflammation in the primary tumours and in targeted organs, favouring the seeding of released tumour cells [140].…”

Cancer Cell Seeding Following Manipulation: An Ancient Concern According to the Traditional Iranian Medicine

“…There are also studies implying that procedures like prostate biopsy or surgical removal of the tumor during a colonoscopy (in colorectal cancer) may increase the number of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the blood in some cases [14,15]. Likewise, animal model studies in mice indicate that a biopsy of the breast tumor might increase the number of CTCs or risk of distant metastasis [16,17]. As well other manipulations such as pressure and laser treatment can increase the number of CTCs in nude mice with breast cancer [18,19].…”