The effects of surgery on tumor growth: a century of investigations

• Published in: Annals of oncology Vol. 19; no. 11; pp. 1821 - 1828
• Main Authors: Demicheli, R., Retsky, M.W., Hrushesky, W.J.M., Baum, M., Gukas, I.D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2008; Oxford University Press; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Animals; Antineoplastic agents; Biological and medical sciences; breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Breast Neoplasms - surgery; Cell Growth Processes - physiology; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Mammary gland diseases; Medical sciences; metastasis development; Neoplasms - pathology; Neoplasms - surgery; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; surgery effects; Surgical Procedures, Operative - adverse effects; tumor dormancy; tumor homeostasis; Tumors; breast cancer; surgery effects; metastasis development; tumor dormancy; tumor homeostasis; Breast disease; Homeostasis; Breast cancer; Metastasis; Malignant tumor; Dormancy; Mammary gland diseases; Treatment; Tumor growth; Surgery; Development; Cancer
• ISSN: 0923-7534; 1569-8041
• DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdn386

A few clinical investigations suggest that while primary breast cancer surgical removal favorably modifies the natural history for some patients, it may also hasten the metastatic development for others. The concepts underlying this disease paradigm, i.e. tumor homeostasis, tumor dormancy and surgery-driven enhancement of metastasis development, have a long history that is reviewed. The review reveals the context in which these concepts were conceived and structured to explain experimental data and shows that they are not so new and far fetched. The idea that surgical cancer resection has both beneficial and adverse effects upon cancer spread and growth that result from the modulation of tumor dormancy by the resection should be considered a potentially fruitful working hypothesis.