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Solid Tumours Show Osteotropism: Mechanisms of Bone Metastases

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Clinical Reviews in Bone and Mineral Metabolism Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Bone metastases are a dismal consequence of cancer, causing severe morbidity and reducing the quality of life of patients. Solid tumours such as breast, prostate, lung and kidney cancer showed a marked osteotropism dependent on the special microenvironment provided by bone. Different cellular types are involved in the formation of bone metastases, indeed bone, immune system and tumour cells interact leading to bone lesions. During the bone resorption process, there is an intense cross-talk between immune system cells and osteoclasts (OCs). In particular, T cells release factors and cytokines, which rule osteoclastogenesis, and on the other hand, OCs produce factors that act on T cells, which are mediators of the tumour growth in bone. This review will summarize the main mechanisms of action in cancer-induced bone disease with particular regard to the cross-talk among cells of bone, tumour and immune system, focusing on factors and cytokines released by osteoclast, osteoblast, tumour cells and T cells.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the organizers of the Benish Trophy and the Italian Ministry of Health: Ricerca Sanitaria Finalizzata e Giovani Ricercatori 2009 (GR 2009-1584485) for supporting this work.

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The authors Ilaria Roato and Riccardo Ferracini declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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This review does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by the any of the authors.

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  1. CeRMS, A.O. Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Via Santena 5, 10126, Turin, Italy

    Ilaria Roato

  2. Department of Orthopaedics, A.O. Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Corso Bramante 88, 10126, Turin, Italy

    Riccardo Ferracini

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  1. Ilaria Roato
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Correspondence to Ilaria Roato.

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Roato, I., Ferracini, R. Solid Tumours Show Osteotropism: Mechanisms of Bone Metastases. Clinic Rev Bone Miner Metab 11, 87–93 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12018-013-9144-3

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