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Fig. 3 | Molecular Cancer

Fig. 3

From: Extracellular matrix remodeling in tumor progression and immune escape: from mechanisms to treatments

Fig. 3

The process and regulatory network during tumor invasion and metastasis within ECM. The metastatic process of cancer cells is similar to a distant journey. EMT, which triggers decreased cell adhesion, confers the initiation of invasion (A). Then cancer cells with anoikis resistance show multiple changes in metabolic process to support energy requirement for cell survival and invasion (B). Thus, a gradient directionality constructed by several ECM components guides them to penetrate through the tissue for hematogenous and/or lymphatic metastasis (C), the activation of which has been stimulated by ECM components (D)

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Molecular Cancer

ISSN: 1476-4598