Metastasis impose a risk and likelihood of fatality to the cancer patients. When the secondary tumor arise, it is difficult to be managed. Chances are that the tumor re-appears. There have been many studies in mechanism of metastasis. Recently researchers at Hokkaido University found a substance called biglycan which plays an intrinsic role in attracting tumor cells toward the inner wall of tumor blood vessels and hence promoting Metastasis. They found that biglycan binds to specific receptors on the tumor cells, attracting them to the endothelium. However, when the biglycan receptors were neutralized with antibodies, tumor cell migration was markedly reduced.
In quest of Molecular Biology of Cancer