Visualizing metastasis
Nature Medicine
December 21, 2009
Using a specific laser scanning method, the establishment of metastasis during cancer can be visualized in the brain, reports in this week's Nature Medicine.
Brain metastasis commonly occurs in patients with cancer and is often fatal. Frank Winkler and colleagues have now used a technique known as multiphoton laser scanning microscopy to see the single steps of metastasis formation in real time. They were able to track the fate of individual metastasizing cancer cells in relation to blood vessels deep in the mouse brain over minutes to months.
The scientists established a series of essential steps ― arrest of the cancer cells at blood-vessel branching points, exit from the blood vessel, persistent contacts between the cell and capillaries and, finally, growth of the metastasis around the blood vessel.
The ability to visualize the establishment of brain metastases inside the living brain will provide new insights into their development and will enable scientists to measure response to therapies.
doi: 10.1038/nm.2072
Research highlights
-
Jun 29
COVID-19: Assessing instances of long COVID in UK health dataNature Communications
-
Jun 24
Palaeontology: It sucked to be the prey of ancient cephalopodsScientific Reports
-
Jun 24
Sport science: New wearable sensor to measure neck strain may detect potential concussionScientific Reports
-
Jun 23
Scientific community: Women credited less than men in scientific paper authorshipNature
-
Jun 17
Health technology: New cost-effective smartphone test for middle ear functionCommunications Medicine
-
Jun 17
Conservation: Feral cats pushing critically endangered marsupial further towards extinctionScientific Reports