Anoikis Resistance and Tumor Metastasis

Stability can only be achieved if cells are attached to the extracellular matrix (ECM). A dissociation of the ECM in localized tumors leads to an aberrant spread of tumor cells, which eventually results in metastasis. During carcinogenesis, anoikis (programmed cell death) is induced to remove ECM-detached cells. Cancer cells, on the other hand, have developed a number of mechanisms for suppressing anoikis, allowing them to spread and metastasize more readily. Anoikis resistance is driven by specific factors including cell adhesion modulators, oxidative stress and hypoxia, growth factors, signaling pathways, and so on, and thus enhances cancer spread. An understanding of anoikis resistance mechanisms could aid to halt tumor growth. This section explains the in-depth mechanism of anoikis resistance as well as how cancer cells thwart anoikis in order to facilitate cancer spread.