© The Author 2006. Published by Oxford University Press.
EDITORIAL |
Conflicting Results from Clinical Observations and Murine Models: What Is the Role of Plasminogen Activators in Tumor Growth?
Affiliation of authors: Basic Research Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
Correspondence to: Giovanna Tosato, MD, Building 10, 12C205, 10 Center Dr., Basic Research Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute Bethesda, MD 20892 (e-mail: tosatog@mail.nih.gov).
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Tissue invasion and metastasis can compromise vital body functions and are the main causes of death from cancer. By invading locally and dislodging cells or fragments to distant sites, primary tumors can access a rich supply of oxygen and nutrients that is limited at the primary site. Invasion and metastasis are exceedingly complex and incompletely understood multistep processes. Often, they are accompanied by the activation of proteases, which degrade proteins that tether tumor cells to surrounding cells and extracellular matrix. By changing the physical coupling of tumor cells to their microenvironment, proteases are thought to promote local cancer spread and formation of metastases (1–3). Proteases can also promote tumor angiogenesis (4) and stimulate tumor cell growth (5,6).