Biological diversity in metastatic neoplasms: origins and implications

Science. 1982 Sep 10;217(4564):998-1003. doi: 10.1126/science.7112116.

Abstract

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.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / pathology
  • Clone Cells
  • Humans
  • Immunity
  • Melanoma / genetics
  • Melanoma / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred Strains
  • Mutation
  • Neoplasm Metastasis / pathology*
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / pathology
  • Phenotype
  • Skin Neoplasms / genetics
  • Skin Neoplasms / pathology