Author/Authors :
Hodorogea, Anastasia “Carol Davila”University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania , Calinescu, Andreea “Carol Davila”University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania , Antohe, Mihaela “Carol Davila”University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania , Balaban, Mihaela “Carol Davila”University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania , Nedelcu, Roxana Ioana “Carol Davila”University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania , Turcu, Gabriela “Carol Davila”University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania , Adriana Ion, Daniela “Carol Davila”University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania , Badarau, Ioana Anca “Carol Davila”University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania , Popescu, Catalin Mihai “Carol Davila”University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania , Popescu, Raluca “Carol Davila”University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania , Popp, Cristiana Colentina Clinical Hospital, Bucharest, Romania , Cioplea, Mirela “Carol Davila”University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania , Nichita, Luciana “Carol Davila”University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania , Hulea, Ionela “Carol Davila”University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania , Brinzea, Alice “Carol Davila”University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
Abstract :
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is involved in physiologic processes such as embryogenesis and wound healing. A similarmechanism occurs in some tumors where cells leave the epithelial layer and gain mesenchymal particularities in order to easilymigrate to other tissues. This process can explain the invasiveness and aggressiveness of these tumors which metastasize,by losing the epithelial phenotype (loss of E-cadherin, desmoplakin, and laminin-1) and acquiring mesenchymal markers(N-cadherin). Complex changes and interactions happen between the tumor cells and the microenvironment involving differentpathways, transcription factors, altered expression of adhesion molecules, reorganization of cytoskeletal proteins, production ofECM-degrading enzymes, and changes in specific microRNAs. The purpose of this review is to determine particularities of theEMT process in the most common malignant cutaneous tumors (squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, andmelanoma) which still have an increasingly high incidence. More studies are required on this topic in order to establish clearcorrelations. High costs related to skin cancer therapies in general as well as high impact on patients’quality of life demandfinding new, reliable prognostic and therapeutic markers with significant public health impact.
