The epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a key cellular event that
plays a pivotal role in promoting metastatic disease and tumor recurrence among solid
malignancies. EMT is involved not only in essential cellular processes, including
embryonic development and tissue remodeling, but also in inducing tumorigenesis.
Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent cancer in women globally, and the main
causes of breast cancer mortality are metastasis and recurrence. EMT plays an
imperative role in enhancing invasion, following metastasis. Integrated changes in
several cell signaling events lead to an epithelial to mesenchymal phenotypic shift and
provide cells with more migratory and invasive properties that eventually results in
metastatic colonization at a secondary site. However, the present knowledge about the
cross-talk of multi-faceted signaling pathways and associated crucial transcription
factors is yet to be understood. Understanding the cellular complexities of EMT will
provide valuable insights for the therapeutic targeting of aggressive breast cancers, and
in the development of novel biomarkers to delimit malignancies with greater chances
of metastasis and recurrence.
Keywords: Breast cancer, Biomarker, Cell signaling, Cancer stem cells,
Circulating tumor cells, EMT, Invasion, Metastasis, Migration, Tumor growth.
