Skin Cancer Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Skin Cancer, including details on identification, causes, prevention, treatment.

Tissue homeostasis and the control of the neoplastic phenotype in epithelial cancers.

Glick AB, Yuspa SH

Laboratory of Cellular Carcinogenesis and Tumor Promotion, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, 37 Convent Drive, MSC-4255, Building 37, Room 4068A1, Bethesda, MD 20892-4255, USA.

Neoplastic cells at various stages of tumor progression may remain dormant for many years. The suppression of the neoplastic phenotype and tumor outgrowth depends on close contact of neoplastic cells with surrounding normal cells. This review examines the nature of these contacts primarily in models for skin cancer induction. Junctional complexes, membrane associated growth factors and their receptors, and paracrine mechanisms likely contribute to this state of tumor cell dormancy. Understanding these mechanisms will be important in primary cancer prevention and for counteracting recurrences in cancer survivors.

Published 17 January 2005 in Semin Cancer Biol, 15(2): 75-83.
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