Tumor progression and invasion

Abstract

Cancer is the disease of the gene. The very first event that damages nuclear DNA is initiated by an initiator (substance, radiation), which may cause different effects, such as mutations, DNA breaks, etc, which may or may not cause cancer. Additional hits, which do lead to the development of cancer, are caused by tumor promoters. At present, detailed knowledge of all the events leading to a malignant disease, are not yet understood. Molecular description of tumor progression envisages that each type of cancer will progress in stages: the step-wise genetic changes accompanying this progression, are unique to each type of cancer. To study these events, various in vitro and in vivo approaches were developed. The first part of the workshop will be dedicated to the methodology used to identify DNA damage, while the second part will be dedicated to the experimental models used to identify biological markers, associated with tumor and/or endothelial cell invasion.