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Previous Volume 359:2814-2823 December 25, 2008 Number 26 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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Metastasis is the end product of an evolutionary process in which diverse interactions between cancer cells and their microenvironment yield alterations that allow these cells to transcend their programmed behavior. Tumor cells thus populate and flourish in new tissue habitats and, ultimately, cause organ dysfunction and death. Understanding the many molecular players and processes involved in metastasis could lead to effective, targeted approaches to prevent and treat cancer metastasis.

The tumor–node–metastasis (TNM) staging system used for most solid tumors considers the tumor size and degree of local invasion (T), the number, size, and location of lymph nodes (N), and the . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Basic Concepts of Metastasis

Origins of Cellular Heterogeneity

Selective Pressures of the Tumor Microenvironment

Cancer Stem Cells and Metastasis

The Environment of the Primary Tumor

Invasion and Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition

Motility and Extracellular-Matrix Remodeling

Stromal Interactions

Organ-Specific Metastasis

An Integrated Model of Metastasis

Models of Metastasis and Tumor Progression

Metastasis-Progression Genes

Metastatic Dissemination

Clinical Implications

Molecular Signatures of Metastasis

Targets of Therapy

Clinical Translation

Source Information

From the Department of Medicine (A.C.C.), the Cancer Biology and Genetics Program (J.M.), and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (J.M.), Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York.

Address reprint requests to Dr. Massagué at Box 116, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Ave., New York, NY 10065, or at massaguj@mskcc.org.

Related Letters:

Molecular Basis of Metastasis
Varki A., Varki N. M., Borsig L., Lee J. J., Lotze M. T., Batistatou A., Charalabopoulos A., Charalabopoulos K., Chiang A., Massagué J.
Extract | Full Text | PDF  
N Engl J Med 2009; 360:1678-1680, Apr 16, 2009. Correspondence

This article has been cited by other articles:

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• Varki, A., Varki, N. M., Borsig, L., Lee, J. J., Lotze, M. T., Batistatou, A., Charalabopoulos, A., Charalabopoulos, K., Chiang, A., Massague, J. (2009). Molecular Basis of Metastasis. NEJM 360: 1678-1680 [Full Text]