Role of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) Therapy in Personalized Cancer Treatment

Abstract

A major clinical challenge in treating cancer patients is the metastasis of cells to distant organs forming secondary tumors. Many cancers are prone to metastasis due to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which confers motility and invasive properties to the tumor. EMT also contributes to chemotherapy resistance and facilitates metastasis by generating cancer stem cells (CSCs). Therefore, the EMT program has therapeutic potential for personalized cancer treatment. In more severe situations, this might destroy metastatic cancer cells that are already present or stop tumour progression in high-risk patients who are at risk of developing metastatic tumours. The options for developing EMT-based personalised cancer therapeutics are covered in this chapter, along with a summary of the evidence supporting some of the suggested EMT targets and a discussion on the possible benefits and drawbacks of each strategy.

Keywords: Biomarkers, cancer stem cells, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, personalized cancer therapy, tumor metastasis.

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