Microcirculation in Cancer Metastasis

Although mechanisms involved in the spread of cancer have been the subject of a major research endeavor over the past decade, metastatic tumors still account for significant clinical morbidity and the failure of cancer treatment. Not only are the vascular pathways the most common route for the dissemination of cancer cells, but interactions between the cells and the circulation act as important rate-regulators for the metastatic process. This authoritative, multi-authored volume addresses the importance of microcirculation in cancer metastasis. The book begins with up-to-date reviews on the biology of endothelial cells and the structure and physiology of the normal and tumor microcirculations, and then emphasizes interactions between components of the microcirculation and cancer cells. Metastasis is discussed through chapters exploring the entry of cancer cells into the circulation, the biophysics and morphology of cancer cell traffic and arrest, interactions with host cells and the basement membranes, and angiogenesis. This fascinating book will interest oncologists, pathologists, and students of metastasis or the microcirculation.