EMPATHY BCN

Epithelial mesenchymal plasticity (EMP) refers to a collective of changes and behaviours of cells in the body that allow the cells to, temporarily or stably, alter their characteristics. EMP are the molecular and cellular processes that change stationary epithelial cells in structured, well defined environments into adaptable mesenchymal cells that can survive with limited cell-cell adhesion, migrate and invade new environments, and vice versa. The ability of breast cancer cells to switch between, and combine, epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes relates to many aspects of breast cancer progression, including resistance to systemic therapy. EMP characteristics have been identified in the highly malignant breast cancer stem cells that underpin metastasis and fuel recurrence, and in tumour cells found in the blood stream and bone marrow of breast cancer patients more likely to suffer recurrence. These cells (the circulating tumour cells (CTC) in the blood and the disseminated tumour..

Registration numbers: 83 791 724 622 (W)