Biological diversity in metastatic neoplasms: origins and implications

IJ Fidler, IR Hart - Science, 1982 - science.org
IJ Fidler, IR Hart
Science, 1982science.org
Whether neoplasms are unicellular or multicellular in their origin, the process of tumor
evolution and progression can rapidly generate biological diversity. Metastases result from
the survival and proliferation of specialized subpopulations of cells within the parent tumor.
Metastases may have a clonal origin and different metastases may develop from different
progenitor cells. However, as with the primary tumor, the origin of metastases is unimportant
since the process of tumor evolution and progression can generate biological diversity …
Whether neoplasms are unicellular or multicellular in their origin, the process of tumor evolution and progression can rapidly generate biological diversity. Metastases result from the survival and proliferation of specialized subpopulations of cells within the parent tumor. Metastases may have a clonal origin and different metastases may develop from different progenitor cells. However, as with the primary tumor, the origin of metastases is unimportant since the process of tumor evolution and progression can generate biological diversity within and among different metastatic foci.
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