Targeting Platelets for the Treatment of Cancer

Overview

Journal Cancers (Basel)

Publisher MDPI

Specialty Oncology

Date 2017 Jul 25

PMID 28737696

Citations 26

Authors

Omar Elaskalani

Michael C Berndt

Marco Falasca

Pat Metharom

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The majority of cancer-associated mortality results from the ability of tumour cells to metastasise leading to multifunctional organ failure and death. Disseminated tumour cells in the blood circulation are faced with major challenges such as rheological shear stresses and cell-mediated cytotoxicity mediated by natural killer cells. Nevertheless, circulating tumour cells with metastatic ability appear equipped to exploit host cells to aid their survival. Despite the long interest in targeting tumour-associated host cells such as platelets for cancer treatment, the clinical benefit of this strategy is still under question. In this review, we provide a summary of the latest mechanistic and clinical evidence to evaluate the validity of targeting platelets in cancer.

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