Tumour metastasis is responsible for more than 90% of tumour-associated mortality.
About one third of breast cancer patients in the early stage develop metastases. The
transformation in tumour development referred to as the “metastatic cascade” or “metastatic
cycle” is a complex and multi-stage event. While it is generally recognised that epithelial-mesenchymal
transformation (EMT) plays a crucial role in cancer progression and metastasis, the
metabolic events in this process have received little attention to date. We would
therefore like to provide a brief overview here of the influence of the metabolism
on the progression and metastasis of tumours.
Key words
breast cancer - metastasis - metabolism - aerobic glycolysis