The biology of tumor growth

Malignant cells own an unique spectrum of biological characteristics, such as production of auto proliferative signals, resistance to growth suppressing factors, loss of apoptotic capacity, unlimited proliferative potential, invasion and metastasis, genomic instability, secretion of angiogenic factors, induction of peritumoral immune suppression, aerobic glycolysis etc. These properties are attributed to mutations in oncogenes and suppressor genes. Recent advances in experimental oncology attract attention to the existence of intratumoral heterogeneity, novel views on the mechanisms of tumor metastasis, investigations of tumor-host interactions etc.