Das Suvendu, Skobe Mihaela
Department of Oncological Sciences, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1130, New York, NY 10029, USA.
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2008;1131:235-41. doi: 10.1196/annals.1413.021.
Most cancerous lesions metastasize through the lymphatic system and the status of regional lymph nodes is the most important indicator of a patient's prognosis. The extent of lymph node involvement with cancer is also an important parameter used for determining treatment options. Although the importance of the lymphatic system for metastasis has been well recognized, traditionally, the lymphatic vessels have not been considered actively involved in the metastatic process. Recent evidence, however, indicates that the activation of the lymphatic system is an important factor in tumor progression to metastasis. Tumor lymphangiogenesis has been associated with increased propensity for metastasis, and lymphatic vessel density has emerged as another promising prognostic indicator. More recently, lymphangiogenesis in the sentinel lymph nodes has been shown to contribute to malignant progression. In addition to its role as a transport system for tumor cells, the lymphatic system may also be more actively involved in metastases by directly facilitating tumor cell recruitment into the lymphatic vessels. This review highlights recent advances in our understanding of the mechanisms by which lymphatic vessels participate in metastasis.
大多数癌性病变通过淋巴系统转移，区域淋巴结的状况是患者预后的最重要指标。癌症累及淋巴结的范围也是用于确定治疗方案的一个重要参数。尽管淋巴系统对转移的重要性已得到充分认识，但传统上，淋巴管并未被认为积极参与转移过程。然而，最近的证据表明，淋巴系统的激活是肿瘤进展至转移的一个重要因素。肿瘤淋巴管生成与转移倾向增加有关，淋巴管密度已成为另一个有前景的预后指标。最近，前哨淋巴结中的淋巴管生成已被证明有助于恶性进展。除了作为肿瘤细胞的运输系统外，淋巴系统还可能通过直接促进肿瘤细胞进入淋巴管而更积极地参与转移。本综述重点介绍了我们对淋巴管参与转移机制的最新认识进展。
