Brain metastasis: Unique challenges and open opportunities
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- 作者：Frank J. Lowery ; Dihua Yu ; dyu@mdanderson.org
- 关键词：Brain metastasis ; Central nervous system ; Cancer models ; Metabolism ; Tumor-microenvironment interaction
- 刊名：Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Reviews on Cancer
- 出版年：2017
- 出版时间：January 2017
- 年：2017
- 卷：1867
- 期：1
- 页码：49-57
- 全文大小：640 K
- 卷排序：1867
文摘
The metastasis of cancer to the central nervous system (CNS) remains a devastating clinical reality, carrying an estimated survival time of less than one year in spite of recent therapeutic breakthroughs for other disease contexts. Advances in brain metastasis research are hindered by a number of factors, including its complicated nature and the difficulty of modeling metastatic cancer growth in the unique brain microenvironment. In this review, we will discuss the clinical challenge, and compare the merits and limitations of the available models for brain metastasis research. Additionally, we will specifically address current knowledge on how brain metastases take advantage of the unique brain environment to benefit their own growth. Finally, we will explore the distinctive metabolic and chemical characteristics of the brain and how these paradoxically represent barriers to establishment of brain metastasis, but also provide ample supplies for metastatic cells' growth in the brain. We envision that multi-disciplinary innovative approaches will open opportunities for the field to make breakthroughs in tackling unique challenges of brain metastasis.