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Molecular Mechanisms of Lymph Node Metastasis

  • Chapter
Lymphangiogenesis in Cancer Metastasis

Part of the book series: Cancer Metastasis – Biology and Treatment ((CMBT,volume 13))

Abstract

Lymph node metastasis represents the first step of spread for most human cancers and serves as an important prognostic indicator. Recent studies have revealed that tumors can actively induce the growth of tumor-associated lymphatic vessels (lymphangiogenesis), thus promoting their metastasis to draining (sentinel) lymph nodes. Several tumor lymphangiogenesis factors have been identified, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C, VEGF-D, VEGF-A and hepatocyte growth factor. A large number of clinical studies have confirmed the correlation of tumor lymphangiogenesis and metastasis of different types of human cancers. Importantly, recent results indicate that tumors can also induce lymphatic vessel growth in sentinel lymph nodes, even before the onset of metastasis, and that lymph node lymphangiogenesis further promotes cancer spread to distant lymph nodes and to distant organs. Thus, in addition to its prognostic importance, lymphangiogenesis has become a new target for the prevention, treatment and imaging of lymph node metastases.

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  1. Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, HCI H303, CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland

    Matthias Rinderknecht

  2. Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland

    Michael Detmar

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Rinderknecht, M., Detmar, M. (2009). Molecular Mechanisms of Lymph Node Metastasis. In: Lymphangiogenesis in Cancer Metastasis. Cancer Metastasis – Biology and Treatment, vol 13. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2247-9_4

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