© 2005 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd & Association of Clinical Pathologists
REVIEW
Pathobiology of brain metastases
Brain Tumor Institute, Taussig Cancer Center and Department of Neurosurgery, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 44122 Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr S A Toms
Section of Metastatic Disease, Brain Tumor Institute, Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center R20 44195, Cleveland, Ohio, USA; tomss{at}cc.ccf.org
Brain metastasis is a major cause of systemic cancer morbidity and mortality. Many factors participate in the development and maintenance of brain metastases. The survival of the metastasis depends upon crucial interactions between tumour cells and the brain microenvironment during its development at the new site. This review focuses on the pathobiological mechanisms involved in the establishment and regulation of brain metastases. Developments in molecular biology have vastly expanded our knowledge about the mechanisms of invasion, proliferation, metastatic cell signalling, and angiogenesis in brain metastases. Advances in this understanding of the pathobiology of brain metastasis may lead to novel targeted treatment paradigms and a better prognosis for patients with brain metastatic disease.
Abbreviations: BBB, bloodbrain barrier; CNS, central nervous system; ECM, extracellular matrix; HS, heparan sulfate; LOH, loss of heterozygosity; MMP, matrix metalloprotease; MSG, metastasis suppressor gene; NSCLC, non-small cell lung cancer; NT, neurotrophin; PAI-1/2, plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1/2; TIMP, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase; tPA, tissue-type plasminogen activator; uPA, urokinase-type plasminogen activator; uPA-R, uPA, urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor
![]()
CiteULike
Complore
Connotea
Del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
Technorati What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
-
Holfort, S K, Lindegaard, J, Isager, P, Prause, J U, Heegaard, S
(2009). CNS metastasis from malignant uveal melanoma: a clinical and histopathological characterisation. Br. J. Ophthalmol.
93: 641-644
[Abstract] [Full Text] -
Grinberg-Rashi, H., Ofek, E., Perelman, M., Skarda, J., Yaron, P., Hajduch, M., Jacob-Hirsch, J., Amariglio, N., Krupsky, M., Simansky, D. A., Ram, Z., Pfeffer, R., Galernter, I., Steinberg, D. M., Ben-Dov, I., Rechavi, G., Izraeli, S.
(2009). The Expression of Three Genes in Primary Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Is Associated with Metastatic Spread to the Brain. Clin. Cancer Res.
15: 1755-1761
[Abstract] [Full Text] -
Medioni, J, Cojocarasu, O, Belcaceres, J-L, Halimi, P, Oudard, S
(2007). Complete cerebral response with sunitinib for metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Ann Oncol
18: 1282-1283
[Full Text] -
Rice, T. W., Khuntia, D., Rybicki, L. A., Adelstein, D. J., Vogelbaum, M. A., Mason, D. P., Murthy, S. C., Blackstone, E. H.
(2006). Brain Metastases From Esophageal Cancer: A Phenomenon of Adjuvant Therapy?. Ann. Thorac. Surg.
82: 2042-2049
[Abstract] [Full Text]
Register for free content
The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.
Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.
