Open AccessEpithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) to sarcoma in recurrent lung adenosquamous carcinoma following adjuvant chemotherapy
Author(s) -
Poh Mau Ern,
Liam Chong Kin,
Mun Kein Seong,
Chai Chee Shee,
Wong Chee Kuan,
Tan Jiunn Liang,
Loh Thian Chee,
Chin Ka Kiat
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
thoracic cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.823
H-Index - 28
eISSN - 1759-7714
pISSN - 1759-7706
DOI - 10.1111/1759-7714.13156
Subject(s) - medicine , adenosquamous carcinoma , chemotherapy , oncology , epithelial–mesenchymal transition , adjuvant chemotherapy , sarcoma , cancer research , carcinoma , pathology , adenocarcinoma , cancer , metastasis , breast cancer
Adjuvant chemotherapy has long been indicated to extend survival in completely resected stage IB to IIIA non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, there is accumulating evidence that chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy can induce epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) in disseminated or circulating NSCLC cells. Here, we describe the first case of EMT as the cause of recurrence and metastasis in a patient with resected stage IIB lung adenosquamous carcinoma after adjuvant chemotherapy. We review the literature and explore the possible mechanisms by which EMT occurs in disseminated tumor cells (DTC) or circulating tumor cells (CTC) in response to adjuvant chemotherapy (cisplatin) as a stressor. We also explore the possible therapeutic strategies to reverse EMT in patients with recurrence. In summary, although adjuvant cisplatin‐based chemotherapy in resected NSCLC does extend survival, it may lead to the adverse phenomenon of EMT in disseminated tumor cells (DTC) or circulating tumor cells (CTC) causing recurrence and metastasis.