J Surg Oncol. 1990 Mar;43(3):181-8.

Dormancy and breast cancer.

Source

Department of Surgery, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester 01609.

Abstract

A case is presented in which multiple nodules of recurrent cancer appeared about the scar 25 years after radical mastectomy. They were accompanied by an inflammatory reaction. Breast cancers may recur as long as 50 years after surgery. Such late recurrence is accomplished by the cancer cell entering a "dormant" state in which little or no de novo DNA transcription occurs and only enough RNA is translated into proteins to maintain the vegetative functions that sustain cell viability. Features favoring the evolvement of dormancy are discussed as well as the nature of the cocoon-like shell which affords such cancer cells protection from the host's cellular and serological defenses. Speculation, promoted by the new cellular biology, as to the cause of secondary inflammatory cancers, is presented. A possible mechanism for the reactivation of these quiescent cells is suggested. The altered immune reactions of host and cancer cells provide an explanation for the controversies plaguing surgeons regarding the treatment and prognosis of breast cancer.

PMID:: 2179631; [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Publication Types, MeSH Terms

Publication Types

MeSH Terms

LinkOut - more resources

Medical

Breast Cancer - MedlinePlus Health Information

Libraries

LinkOut Holdings

Supplemental Content

Related citations

Review Overview of resistance to systemic therapy in patients with breast cancer. [Adv Exp Med Biol. 2007]
Review Overview of resistance to systemic therapy in patients with breast cancer.
Gonzalez-Angulo AM, Morales-Vasquez F, Hortobagyi GN. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2007; 608:1-22.
Time distribution of the recurrence risk for breast cancer patients undergoing mastectomy: further support about the concept of tumor dormancy. [Breast Cancer Res Treat. 1996]
Time distribution of the recurrence risk for breast cancer patients undergoing mastectomy: further support about the concept of tumor dormancy.
Demicheli R, Abbattista A, Miceli R, Valagussa P, Bonadonna G. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 1996; 41(2):177-85.
Locoregional recurrence of breast cancer following mastectomy: always a fatal event? Results of univariate and multivariate analysis. [Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 1997]
Locoregional recurrence of breast cancer following mastectomy: always a fatal event? Results of univariate and multivariate analysis.
Willner J, Kiricuta IC, Kölbl O. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 1997 Mar 1; 37(4):853-63.
Analysis of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrences after breast-conserving treatment based on the classification of true recurrences and new primary tumors. [Breast Cancer. 2005]
Analysis of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrences after breast-conserving treatment based on the classification of true recurrences and new primary tumors.
Komoike Y, Akiyama F, Iino Y, Ikeda T, Tanaka-Akashi S, Ohsumi S, Kusama M, Sano M, Shin E, Suemasu K, et al. Breast Cancer. 2005; 12(2):104-11.
Review Why do some breast cancer cells remain dormant? [Gynecol Endocrinol. 2006]
Review Why do some breast cancer cells remain dormant?
Neves-E-Castro M. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2006 Apr; 22(4):190-7.

See reviews... See all...

Cited by 6 PubMed Central articles

Breast cancer stem cells survive periods of farnesyl-transferase inhibitor-induced dormancy by undergoing autophagy. [Bone Marrow Res. 2011]
Breast cancer stem cells survive periods of farnesyl-transferase inhibitor-induced dormancy by undergoing autophagy.
Chaterjee M, van Golen KL. Bone Marrow Res. 2011; 2011:362938. Epub 2011 Jul 7.
Breast and other cancer dormancy as a therapeutic endpoint: speculative recombinant T cell receptor ligand (RTL) adjuvant therapy worth considering? [BMC Cancer. 2010]
Breast and other cancer dormancy as a therapeutic endpoint: speculative recombinant T cell receptor ligand (RTL) adjuvant therapy worth considering?
Bakács T, Mehrishi JN. BMC Cancer. 2010 Jun 2; 10:251. Epub 2010 Jun 2.
New concepts in breast cancer emerge from analyzing clinical data using numerical algorithms. [Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2009]
New concepts in breast cancer emerge from analyzing clinical data using numerical algorithms.
Retsky M. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2009 Jan; 6(1):329-48. Epub 2009 Jan 20.

See all...

Related information

Related Citations
Calculated set of PubMed citations closely related to the selected article(s) retrieved using a word weight algorithm. Related articles are displayed in ranked order from most to least relevant, with the “linked from” citation displayed first.
Cited in PMC
Full-text articles in the PubMed Central Database that cite the current articles.

Recent activity

Clear Turn Off Turn On

Dormancy and breast cancer.
Dormancy and breast cancer.
J Surg Oncol. 1990 Mar ;43(3):181-8.

PubMed
Differentiation of the mammary gland and susceptibility to carcinogenesis.
Differentiation of the mammary gland and susceptibility to carcinogenesis.
Breast Cancer Res Treat. 1982 ;2(1):5-73.

PubMed
Influence of wheat bran on NMU-induced mammary tumor development, plasma estroge...
Influence of wheat bran on NMU-induced mammary tumor development, plasma estrogen levels and estrogen excretion in female rats.
J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 1991 Aug ;39(2):193-202.

PubMed
[Ascorbic acid in the plasma and blood cells of women with breast cancer. The ef...
[Ascorbic acid in the plasma and blood cells of women with breast cancer. The effect of the consumption of food with an elevated content of this vitamin].
Nutr Hosp. 1995 Nov-Dec ;10(6):368-72.

PubMed
Regulated expression of a diphtheria toxin A-chain gene transfected into human c...
Regulated expression of a diphtheria toxin A-chain gene transfected into human cells: possible strategy for inducing cancer cell suicide.
Cancer Res. 1986 Sep ;46(9):4660-4.

PubMed

Your browsing activity is empty.

Activity recording is turned off.

Turn recording back on

PubMed

Display Settings:

Send to: