Physics of Cancer Metastasis

Metastasis is the cause of 90% of deaths related to the cancer. Cancer cells metastasize by entering the bloodstream, where they are dragged to distant parts of the body, and exiting the blood to colonize on another organ. Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) of cancer cells and vice versa (MET), have been proven to be the essential processes underlying metastasis through “static measurements” of biochemical cues. However, it has never been studied under dynamic conditions mimicking the actual physical environment: The blood vessel has an undulated, quasi-2D topology. Blood forms complex flows, e.g., laminar, turbulent, shear flows and their combinations inside this topology. In the bloodstream, the cancer cells are traveling along with many different cells and other entities, where they also face random obstacles. All of these factors are important for the successful completion of the metastasis process. Here, we show how epithelial, mesenchymal, drug-resistant breast cancer cells and healthy breast cells behave in such a dynamic, quasi-2D confined system under complex flows and when faced with random obstacles. We will test their adaptability under extreme physical conditions to conclude the physics of cancer metastasis.