Metastasis (Met) largely contributes to the major cause of cancer deaths throughout the world, rather than the growth of the tumor mass itself. The present report brings together several of the pertinent contributors to cancer growth and metastatic processes from an activity standpoint. Such biological activities include the following: (1) cell adherence and detachment; (2) cell-to-cell contact; (3) contact inhibition; (4) the cell interfacing with the extracellular matrix (ECM); (5) tumor cell-to-stroma communication networks; (6) chemotaxis; and (7) cell membrane potential. Moreover, additional biochemical factors that contribute to cancer growth and metastasis have been shown to comprise the following: (a) calcium levels in the extracellular matrix and in intracellular compartments; (b) cation voltage and ATP-regulated potassium channels; (c) selective and non-selective cation channels; and (d) chemokines (cytokines) and their receptors, such as CXCL12 (SDF-1) and its receptor/binding partner, CXCR4. These latter molecular components represent a promising group of an interacting and synchronized set of candidates ideal for peptide therapeutic targeting for cancer growth and metastasis. Such peptides can be obtained from naturally occurring proteins such as alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), an onco-fetal protein and clinical biomarker.
转移（Met）是全球癌症死亡的主要原因，而非肿瘤肿块本身的生长。本报告从活动角度整合了与癌症生长和转移过程相关的若干关键因素。此类生物学活动包括：（1）细胞粘附与脱离；（2）细胞间接触；（3）接触抑制；（4）细胞与细胞外基质（ECM）的界面作用；（5）肿瘤细胞与基质的通讯网络；（6）趋化性；（7）细胞膜电位。此外，研究证实促进癌症生长和转移的其他生化因素还包括：（a）细胞外基质及细胞内区室的钙离子水平；（b）阳离子电压及ATP调节的钾离子通道；（c）选择性与非选择性阳离子通道；（d）趋化因子（细胞因子）及其受体，例如CXCL12（SDF-1）及其受体/结合伴侣CXCR4。后述分子组分构成了一组具有相互作用且协同调控的靶点群，为针对癌症生长和转移的肽类治疗提供了理想目标。此类肽可从天然存在的蛋白质中获得，例如作为癌胚蛋白和临床生物标志物的甲胎蛋白（AFP）。
肿瘤(癌症)患者之家