Research

breast cancer

Complex pseudo-organ-like behavior of breast cancer is a consequence of continuous metabolic adaptations in response to the selective pressures imposed by the tumor microenvironment. Chief features of cancer cells, including the high redox homeostasis threshold and metabolic reprogramming, are not restricted to cancer cells but are heavily dependent on the dynamic interactions between cancer cells and their microenvironment. The collective effort of stromal cells, soluble factors, and extracellular matrix strongly influence the behavior of neoplastic cells. In the case of breast cancer, specifically, adipocytes are the principal cellular component of the tumor microenvironment, yet the mechanisms of their contribution to cancer progression remains largely unexplained.