Epithelial-mesenchymal transition and breast cancer

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition cause primary carcinoma cells to acquire mesenchymal features and re-epithelialize to form a secondary mass at a metastatic site. Such plasticity has implications in the progression of breast carcinoma to metastasis, and will likely influence cancer's response to therapy. The transcriptional and epigenetic regulation that underlie the development of breast cancer and result in characteristic changes in cell behavior can be monitored using an array of marker proteins, providing the potential for emergent prognostic and therapeutic targeting. Key words: Breast neoplasms;  Neoplasm metastasis;  Prognosis