Journal of Molecular Histology & Medical Physiology

Cancer metastasis is the process by which cancer cells spread from their original (primary) location to other parts of the body, forming secondary tumors. This ability of cancer cells to invade distant organs and tissues is one of the hallmarks of cancer, making it far more challenging to treat. The spread of cancer involves a complex series of events that enable cancer cells to move through the body, evade the immune system, and establish secondary growths. Understanding how cancer cells spread has been a critical focus in cancer research because this process is responsible for the majority of cancer-related deaths. The first step in the metastatic process is the ability of cancer cells to invade the tissue surrounding the primary tumor. Cancer cells can acquire the ability to degrade the Extracellular Matrix (ECM), which is the structural framework that supports tissue architecture.