Is There <i>One</i> Key Step in the Metastatic Cascade?
The majority of cancer-related deaths are the result of metastases (i.e., dissemination and establishment of tumor cells at distant sites from the origin), which develop through a multi-step process classically termed the metastatic cascade. The respective contributions of each step to the metastati...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Cancers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/13/15/3693 |
| _version_ | 1797525799234961408 |
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| author | Antoine M. Dujon Jean-Pascal Capp Joel S. Brown Pascal Pujol Robert A. Gatenby Beata Ujvari Catherine Alix-Panabières Frédéric Thomas |
| author_facet | Antoine M. Dujon Jean-Pascal Capp Joel S. Brown Pascal Pujol Robert A. Gatenby Beata Ujvari Catherine Alix-Panabières Frédéric Thomas |
| author_sort | Antoine M. Dujon |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The majority of cancer-related deaths are the result of metastases (i.e., dissemination and establishment of tumor cells at distant sites from the origin), which develop through a multi-step process classically termed the metastatic cascade. The respective contributions of each step to the metastatic process are well described but are also currently not completely understood. Is there, for example, a critical phase that disproportionately affects the probability of the development of metastases in individual patients? Here, we address this question using a modified Drake equation, initially formulated by the astrophysicist Frank Drake to estimate the probability of the emergence of intelligent civilizations in the Milky Way. Using simulations based on realistic parameter values obtained from the literature for breast cancer, we examine, under the linear progression hypothesis, the contribution of each component of the metastatic cascade. Simulations demonstrate that the most critical parameter governing the formation of clinical metastases is the survival duration of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:18:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ac167c5fcbf448ee8bb7652d6ab3ee6e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6694 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:18:06Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cancers |
| spelling | doaj.art-ac167c5fcbf448ee8bb7652d6ab3ee6e2023-11-22T05:26:18ZengMDPI AGCancers2072-66942021-07-011315369310.3390/cancers13153693Is There <i>One</i> Key Step in the Metastatic Cascade?Antoine M. Dujon0Jean-Pascal Capp1Joel S. Brown2Pascal Pujol3Robert A. Gatenby4Beata Ujvari5Catherine Alix-Panabières6Frédéric Thomas7CREEC/CANECEV, MIVEGEC (CREES), University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, 34172 Montpellier, FranceToulouse Biotechnology Institute, INSA, CNRS, INRAE, University of Toulouse, 31555 Toulouse, FranceDepartment of Integrated Mathematical Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL 33601, USACREEC/CANECEV, MIVEGEC (CREES), University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, 34172 Montpellier, FranceDepartment of Integrated Mathematical Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL 33601, USACentre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC 3216, AustraliaCREEC/CANECEV, MIVEGEC (CREES), University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, 34172 Montpellier, FranceCREEC/CANECEV, MIVEGEC (CREES), University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, 34172 Montpellier, FranceThe majority of cancer-related deaths are the result of metastases (i.e., dissemination and establishment of tumor cells at distant sites from the origin), which develop through a multi-step process classically termed the metastatic cascade. The respective contributions of each step to the metastatic process are well described but are also currently not completely understood. Is there, for example, a critical phase that disproportionately affects the probability of the development of metastases in individual patients? Here, we address this question using a modified Drake equation, initially formulated by the astrophysicist Frank Drake to estimate the probability of the emergence of intelligent civilizations in the Milky Way. Using simulations based on realistic parameter values obtained from the literature for breast cancer, we examine, under the linear progression hypothesis, the contribution of each component of the metastatic cascade. Simulations demonstrate that the most critical parameter governing the formation of clinical metastases is the survival duration of circulating tumor cells (CTCs).https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/13/15/3693metastatic processDrake equationcirculating tumor cellsmetastasis |
| spellingShingle | Antoine M. Dujon Jean-Pascal Capp Joel S. Brown Pascal Pujol Robert A. Gatenby Beata Ujvari Catherine Alix-Panabières Frédéric Thomas Is There <i>One</i> Key Step in the Metastatic Cascade? Cancers metastatic process Drake equation circulating tumor cells metastasis |
| title | Is There <i>One</i> Key Step in the Metastatic Cascade? |
| title_full | Is There <i>One</i> Key Step in the Metastatic Cascade? |
| title_fullStr | Is There <i>One</i> Key Step in the Metastatic Cascade? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Is There <i>One</i> Key Step in the Metastatic Cascade? |
| title_short | Is There <i>One</i> Key Step in the Metastatic Cascade? |
| title_sort | is there i one i key step in the metastatic cascade |
| topic | metastatic process Drake equation circulating tumor cells metastasis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/13/15/3693 |
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