Abstract
Macrophage influx is associated with negative outcomes for women with breast cancer and has been demonstrated to be required for metastasis of mammary tumors in mouse models. Pregnancy-associated breast cancer is characterized by particularly poor outcomes, however the reasons remain obscure. Recently, post-pregnancy mammary involution has been characterized as having a wound healing signature. We have proposed the involution-hypothesis, which states that the wound healing microenvironment of the involuting gland is tumor promotional. Macrophage influx is one of the prominent features of the involuting gland, identifying the macrophage a potential instigator of tumor progression and a novel target for breast cancer treatment and prevention.
Publication types
-
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
-
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
-
Review
MeSH terms
-
Adult
-
Animals
-
Breast Neoplasms / genetics
-
Breast Neoplasms / mortality
-
Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
-
Extracellular Matrix Proteins / physiology
-
Female
-
Gene Expression Profiling
-
Humans
-
Lactation / genetics
-
Lactation / physiology*
-
Macrophages / classification
-
Macrophages / physiology*
-
Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / genetics
-
Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / pathology
-
Matrix Metalloproteinases / physiology
-
Mice
-
Mice, Inbred C57BL
-
Neoplasm Metastasis
-
Neoplasm Proteins / physiology
-
Neovascularization, Pathologic / physiopathology
-
Pregnancy
-
Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic / genetics
-
Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic / mortality
-
Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic / pathology*
-
Prognosis
-
Puerperal Disorders / genetics
-
Puerperal Disorders / mortality
-
Puerperal Disorders / pathology*
-
Sexual Maturation
-
Wound Healing / genetics
Substances
-
Extracellular Matrix Proteins
-
Neoplasm Proteins
-
Matrix Metalloproteinases