Cancer metastasis is the process by which malignant cells spread from a primary tumour to distant organs, establishing secondary tumours that are the principal cause of cancer-related mortality. It involves a sequence of steps in which cells detach from the primary site, invade surrounding tissue, enter the blood or…
Cancer metastasis is the process by which malignant cells spread from a primary tumour to distant organs, establishing secondary tumours that are the principal cause of cancer-related mortality. It involves a sequence of steps in which cells detach from the primary site, invade surrounding tissue, enter the blood or lymphatic circulation, survive transit, and colonise new locations. Molecular drivers of these steps are a central research focus, including the role of chemokine signalling through receptors such as CXCR4 in breast-cancer dissemination and the regulation of cell-adhesion molecules such as E-cadherin, whose upregulation can suppress colon-cancer metastasis. Cellular programmes such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition and the acquisition of cancer stem-cell traits underlie the invasive phenotype, while markers including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and patterns of lymph-node involvement reflect metastatic potential and prognosis. The spread of specific cancers, such as lung cancer to the adrenal glands and the role of factors like heparin, illustrates organ-specific behaviour. Adaptive responses and microRNA signatures further characterise progression. Research in this area dissects the molecular and cellular mechanisms that enable cancer cells to invade and disseminate, identifies markers of metastatic risk and progression, and explores how the steps of metastasis might be interrupted to limit the spread of malignant disease.
12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 12 articles above have been cited 86 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Cancer Metastasis, linking to each citing work.