Breast cancer metastasis and the lymphatic system

Abstract

Abstract. Breast cancer remains the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide, despite a significant decline in death rates due to early detection. The majority of cancer mortalities are due to the metastasis of tumor cells to other organs. Metastasis or tumor cell dissemination occurs via the hematogenous and lymphatic systems. For many carcinomas, the dissemination of tumor cells via lymphatic drainage of the tumor is the most common metastatic route. Such lymphatic drainage collects at the regional lymph nodes and the dissection and pathological examination of these nodes for lodged cancer cells is the gold standard procedure to detect metastasis. The present report provides an overview of the lymphatic system and its clinical significance as a prognostic factor, in addition to the interactions between the primary tumor and its microenvironment, and the influence of genomic subtypes on the resulting organ-specific pattern of tumor cell dissemination. It also examines the seemingly protracted asymptomatic period, during which the disseminated cells remain dormant, leading to the manifestation of metastasis decades after the successful treatment of the primary tumor.

Tumor Microenvironment Heterogeneity: Challenges and Opportunities

“…It is a multistep process whether primary tumors detach and invade into the blood vessels or lymphatic system and finally develop as secondary tumors (Rahman and Mohammed, 2015). Emerging research is illuminating the underlying cellular and molecular events controlling the metastatic cascade from onset to colonization.…”

Overcoming the Limits of Hypoxia in Photodynamic Therapy: A Carbonic Anhydrase IX-Targeted Approach

“…It has been known that the 10 year metastasis-free rate is ∼30%, with ∼90% of mortalities (for an estimated overall >10 year survival rate of ∼33%) being due to metastasis. 47 Therefore, the strong correlation of AZ-BPS with CAIX leads us to propose that AZ-BPS represents a promising therapeutic candidate for patients with negative prognostic breast cancer.…”

Synchronous isolated ipsilateral salivary gland metastasis from a primary breast cancer – A case report

“…When only the axillary nodes are involved, the regional spread is still considered to be at a relatively early stage. [1] However, when there is distant metastasis, the patient's prognosis declines significantly. Here we report an extremely rare presentation of salivary gland metastasis of invasive breast cancer, which is considered as a manifestation of an advanced stage of breast carcinoma with average survival of 6-9 months after diagnosis.…”