Aug 2026· iScience· Vol 29· 0 citations· 197 references
Medicine
TL;DR
The pivotal role of EMP in tumor metastasis and treatment resistance is elucidated and the clinical translational potential of targeting EMP-related signaling pathways as a personalized anti-metastasis therapeutic strategy is discussed.
Abstract
Summary Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a reversible cellular program that allows epithelium-derived cells to acquire mesenchymal phenotypes, whereas mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) enables mesenchymal cells to regain epithelial properties. The capacity for EMT and MET, known as epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity (EMP), represents an indispensable mechanism of invasive plasticity for tumor progression during the spatiotemporal invasion-metastasis cascade. In this review, we elucidate the pivotal role of EMP in tumor metastasis and treatment resistance, as well as the latest understanding of the molecular mechanisms that regulate this cellular characteristic. We further summarize the methodology and technology for evaluating EMP and discuss the clinical translational potential of targeting EMP-related signaling pathways as a personalized anti-metastasis therapeutic strategy.
Unraveling the intricate mechanisms of EMT activation in cancer will contribute to the advancement of personalized medicine and the design of more effective treatments against metastatic disease and pave the way for advancements in personalized medicine and improved treatment strategies for patients affected by EMT-related conditions.
Vafa Meftahpour, T. C. Dakal, Jarek Maciaczyk et al.· Signal Transduction and Targ...· 0 citations
The clinical translation of EMT-directed interventions faces steep methodological hurdles, primarily driven by unverified causal dynamics and unresolved therapeutic safety profiles, and will require dynamic, multi-pronged strategies tailored to specific carcinoma cell states and spatial niches.
Xuecong Wang, C. Zhang, Yi Zhao et al.· Cancer Metastasis Review· 0 citations
By integrating diverse mesenchymal transition processes under a unified conceptual framework, this review positions mesenchymal drift as a unifying axis of stromal-immune reprogramming in prostate cancer and underscores its significance for next-generation therapeutic strategies.
Zijia Zhang, Feifan Liu, Shuze Liu et al.· iScience· 0 citations
Tumor plasticity and microenvironmental heterogeneity are established as an integrated, evolving system that fuels metastasis and limits durable treatment responses.
G. Dagar, M. Dagar, Ashna Gupta et al.· MedComm· 0 citations
It is argued that metastatic competence, therapy resistance, and immune evasion can be viewed as functional outputs of remembered plasticity rather than solely as consequences of a contemporaneous mesenchymal phenotype, positioning memory-bearing states as an important target for future therapeutic strategies.
Dominika Denisz, Magdalena Fabian, Jan Olszewski et al.· Cellular Oncology· 0 citations
The conceptual boundaries and operational criteria for identifying OnF in CRC are discussed, its regulatory mechanisms, plasticity-associated phenotypes, and translational relevance are examined, and the importance of distinguishing direct evidence of OnF from evidence of related plasticity mechanisms is emphasized.
Hao-Yu Wang, Song-Hao Liu, Ming-Xuan Zhang et al.· Frontiers in Oncology· 0 citations
We use cookies to run the site and, with your consent, for analytics and to show ads.
See our Cookie Policy.
