Pre-metastatic niche: formation, characteristics and therapeutic implication

Distant metastasis is a primary cause of mortality and contributes to poor surgical outcomes in cancer patients. Before the development of organ-specific metastasis, the formation of a pre-metastatic niche is pivotal in promoting the spread of cancer cells. This review delves into the intricate landscape of the pre-metastatic niche, focusing on the roles of tumor-derived secreted factors, extracellular vesicles, and circulating tumor cells in shaping the metastatic niche. The discussion encompasses cellular elements such as macrophages, neutrophils, bone marrow-derived suppressive cells, and T/B cells, in addition to molecular factors like secreted substances from tumors and extracellular vesicles, within the framework of pre-metastatic niche formation. Insights into the temporal mechanisms of pre-metastatic niche formation such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition, immunosuppression, extracellular matrix remodeling, metabolic reprogramming, vascular permeability and angiogenesis are provided. Furthermore, the landscape of pre-metastatic niche in different metastatic organs like lymph nodes, lungs, liver, brain, and bones is elucidated. Therapeutic approaches targeting the cellular and molecular components of pre-metastatic niche, as well as interventions targeting signaling pathways such as the TGF-β, VEGF, and MET pathways, are highlighted. This review aims to enhance our understanding of pre-metastatic niche dynamics and provide insights for developing effective therapeutic strategies to combat tumor metastasis.

The influence of ^(18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography on the N-and M-staging and subsequent clinical management of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Background:Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(ICC)is a highly metastatic cancer.^(18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography(^(18)F-FDG PET/CT)enables sensitive tumor and metastasis detection.Our aim is to evaluate the influence of pre-treatment PET/CT on the N-and M-staging and subsequent clinical management in ICC patients.Methods:Between August 2010 and August 2018,660 consecutive ICC patients,without prior anti-tumor treatments nor other malignancies,were enrolled.The diagnostic performance of PET/CT on the N-and M-staging was compared with conventional imaging,and the preoperative staging accuracy and treatment re-allocation by PET/CT were retrospectively calculated.Survival difference was compared between patients receiving PET/CT or not after propensity score matching.Results:Patients were divided into group A(n=291)and group B(n=369)according to whether PET/CT was performed.Among 291 patients with both PET/CT and conventional imaging for staging in group A,PET/CT showed significantly higher sensitivity(83.0%vs.70.5%,P=0.001),specificity(88.3%vs.74.9%,P<0.001)and accuracy(86.3%vs.73.2%,P<0.001)than conventional imaging in diagnosing regional lymph node metastasis,as well as higher sensitivity(87.8%vs.67.6%,P<0.001)and accuracy(93.5%vs.89.3%,P=0.023)in diagnosing distant metastasis.Overall,PET/CT improved the accuracy of preoperative staging from 60.1%to 71.8%(P<0.001),and modified clinical treatment strategy in 5.8%(17/291)of ICC patients,with unique roles in different tumor-node-metastasis(TNM)stages.High tumor-to-non-tumor ratio(TNR)predicted poor overall survival[hazard ratio(HR)=2.17;95%confidence interval(CI):1.49-3.15;P<0.001].Furthermore,patients performing PET/CT had longer overall survival compared with those without PET/CT(HR=0.74;95%CI:0.58-0.93;P=0.011)after propensity score matching.Conclusions:PET/CT was valuable for diagnosing regional lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis in ICC patients,and facilitated accurate tumor staging and optimal treatment allocation.