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Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in Renal Cell Carcinoma: Implications for Cancer Therapy

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Abstract

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a developmentally vital reversible process by which fully differentiated cells lose their epithelial features and acquire a migratory mesenchymal phenotype. EMT contributes to the metastatic potential of tumors. The expression profile and other biological properties of EMT suggest potential targets for cancer therapy, including in renal-cell carcinoma (RCC). The preclinical and clinical results have substantiated the promises that dysregulated elements leading to EMT can be a potential target in RCC patients. In this study, we illustrated the pathogenic and prognostic role of EMT in RCC. In addition, we reconstructed, by literature analysis, the different pathways implicated in the EMT process, thus supporting the rational for future EMT-directed therapeutic approaches for RCC patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Specialistic Clinical and Odontostomatological Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche Region, 60131, Ancona, Italy

    Francesco Piva, Matteo Giulietti, Giulia Occhipinti & Giovanni Principato

  2. Clinica di Oncologia Medica, AOU Ospedali Riuniti, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Conca 71, 60126, Ancona, Italy

    Matteo Santoni

  3. Section of Pathological Anatomy, Polytechnic University of the Marche Region, School of Medicine, United Hospitals, Ancona, Italy

    Marina Scarpelli & Rodolfo Montironi

  4. Department of Pathology and Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain

    Antonio Lopez-Beltran

  5. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA

    Liang Cheng

Authors
  1. Francesco Piva
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  2. Matteo Giulietti
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  3. Matteo Santoni
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  4. Giulia Occhipinti
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  5. Marina Scarpelli
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  6. Antonio Lopez-Beltran
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  7. Liang Cheng
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  8. Giovanni Principato
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  9. Rodolfo Montironi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Francesco Piva.

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FP, MG, MS, GO, MS, ALB, LC, GP, RM declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Piva, F., Giulietti, M., Santoni, M. et al. Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in Renal Cell Carcinoma: Implications for Cancer Therapy. Mol Diagn Ther 20, 111–117 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40291-016-0192-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40291-016-0192-5

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