Dissecting Biology of Solid Tumour: The Microenvironment and Cancer Progression
Maxwell Omabe *
Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Division of Chemical Pathology, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Science and Technology, Ebony State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria.
Odii Benedict Onyekachi
Cellular Pathology and Molecular Genetics Group, Department of Life Science, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Focus on cancer therapy is experiencing a major paradigm shift from ways of attacking tumor cells to a strategy for specifically targeting the tumor microenvironment (TME). This approach requires a comprehensive understanding of roles of each component of the tumor environment. A description of the tumor microenvironment and its impact on tumor progression is presented here. Available studies indicate that both tumor/epithelial and stroma characteristics play important roles in cancer progression. Details of this work show that different components of the tumor microenvironment contribute towards cancer progression and clearly suggest a role for use of combination therapies for tight tumor control.
Keywords: Cancer microenvironment, tumor progression, hypoxia;, cancer resistance, metastasis and autophagy