Evolution of metastasis: new tools and insights

Philippe Gui; Trever G Bivona

doi:10.1016/j.trecan.2021.11.002

Evolution of metastasis: new tools and insights

Trends Cancer. 2022 Feb;8(2):98-109. doi: 10.1016/j.trecan.2021.11.002. Epub 2021 Dec 3.

Authors

Philippe Gui¹, Trever G Bivona²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Electronic address: philippe.gui@ucsf.edu.
² Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Electronic address: trever.bivona@ucsf.edu.

PMID: 34872888
DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2021.11.002

Abstract

Metastasis is an evolutionary process occurring across multiple organs and timescales. Due to its continuous and dynamic nature, this multifaceted process has been challenging to investigate and remains incompletely understood, in part due to the lack of tools capable of probing genomic evolution at high enough resolution. However, technological advances in genetic sequencing and editing have provided new and powerful methods to refine our understanding of the complex series of events that lead to metastatic dissemination. In this review, we summarize the latest genetic and lineage-tracing approaches developed to unravel the genetic evolution of metastasis. The findings that have emerged have enhanced our comprehension of the mechanistic trajectories and timescales of metastasis and could provide new strategies for therapy.

Keywords: evolution; lineage tracing; metastasis; sequencing; single cell.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Evolution, Molecular
Genome*
Genomics
Humans
Neoplasms* / genetics