Carcinogen-Induced Microenvironment in Breast Cancer
Abstract
These studies address the question of how abnormal stromal-epithelial interactions affect the progression of cancer cells. Our studies in mouse mammary gland reveal that ionizing radiation, a known human breast carcinogen, elicits rapid and persistent global changes in the tissue microenvironment. If the microenvironments induced by carcinogens can shape the features and frequency of neoplastic phenotypes, then the carcinogen fingerprint' may be envisioned as being built by first laying a foundation of genotypic alterations that expand in the context of a microenvironment that is the result of alterations in stromal and epithelial phenotypes. The current studies are intended to test the hypothesis that carcinogen-induced changes in the microenvironment constitute a third class of carcinogenic action distinct from those leading to genomic damage or proliferative advantage. The long-term goal of this research is to determine whether definition of carcinogen-induced microenvironments predicts neoplastic features or frequency. Understanding this aspect of carcinogenesis is important since certain microenvironment alterations might be suitable for therapeutic intervention, which in turn could provide the mean to modify cancer progression.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA350952
Entities
People
- Mary H. Barcellos-hoff
Organizations
- University of California, Berkeley