Journal
EMBO MOLECULAR MEDICINE
Volume 13, Issue 1, Pages -Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202013122
Keywords
lung cancer; metastasis; NFIB; SCLC; tumor heterogeneity
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Funding
- NIH [R35 CA231997]
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Metastasis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer patients, especially with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) known for its remarkable metastatic proclivity. Recent advances in research, such as using circulating tumor cells and genetically engineered mouse models, are helping to overcome limitations in studying SCLC metastasis. New insights into cellular mechanisms associated with increased metastatic ability offer promise for future therapeutic options.
Metastasis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer patients. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the ability of cancer cells to metastasize remain relatively poorly understood. Among all solid tumors, small cell lung cancer (SCLC) has remarkable metastatic proclivity, with a majority of patients diagnosed with metastatic disease. Our understanding of SCLC metastasis has been hampered for many years by the paucity of material from primary tumors and metastases, as well as the lack of faithful pre-clinical models. Here, we review recent advances that are helping circumvent these limitations. These advances include methods that employ circulating tumor cells from the blood of SCLC patients and the development of diverse genetically engineered mouse models of metastatic SCLC. New insights into the cellular mechanisms of SCLC metastasis include observations of cell fate changes associated with increased metastatic ability. Ongoing studies on cell migration and organ tropism promise to expand our understanding of SCLC metastasis. Ultimately, a better molecular understanding of metastatic phenotypes may be translated into new therapeutic options to limit metastatic spread and treat metastatic SCLC.
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