Molecular biology of breast metastasis: Molecular expression of vascular markers by aggressive breast cancer cells
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* Corresponding author: Mary JC Hendrix mary-hendrix@uiowa.edu
University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
Breast Cancer Res 2000, 2:417-422 doi:10.1186/bcr88
Published: 11 August 2000Abstract
During embryogenesis, the formation of primary vascular networks occurs via the processes of vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. In uveal melanoma, vasculogenic mimicry describes the 'embryonic-like' ability of aggressive, but not nonaggressive, tumor cells to form networks surrounding spheroids of tumor cells in three-dimensional culture; these recapitulate the patterned networks seen in patients' aggressive tumors and correlates with poor prognosis. The molecular profile of these aggressive tumor cells suggests that they have a deregulated genotype, capable of expressing vascular phenotypes. Similarly, the embryonic-like phenotype expressed by the aggressive human breast cancer cells is associated with their ability to express a variety of vascular markers. These studies may offer new insights for consideration in breast cancer diagnosis and therapeutic intervention strategies.