Ewing's sarcoma (ES) is a rare and aggressive malignant tumor typically affecting children and young adults. With approximately 30% of patients presenting with metastasized ES, understand the mechanisms of metastasis is important for developing future clinical treatments. A team led by Oscar M. Tirado at the Sarcoma Research Group (Barcelona, Spain) developed a new orthotopic model in mice to better understand the process of ES metastasis (Oncotarget 7, 56889–56903; 2016). “We believe that this orthotopic model recapitulates more closely the metastatic steps in ES as the primary tumor grows in its natural environment,” explains Dr. Martínez-Tirado.
Using this model the authors were able to identify key molecular steps during metastasis that could direct future clinical work. “Thanks to this approach, we were able to identify how the CAV1 protein regulates a pro-metastatic pathway in ES and the role of the RPS6 and RSK1 proteins as key nodes of this process. ES patients could potentially benefit from these findings.” Because sarcoma prognosis is heavily dependent on presence of metastases, their model could prove useful beyond ES. According to Martínez-Tirado, “...this in vivo orthotopic animal model may be an extremely useful asset to study metastases not only in ES but in other sarcomas too.” DMG
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