The Role of Breast Cancer Cells in Bone Metastasis: Suitable Seeds for Nourishing Soil

The purpose of this review was to describe the characteristics of breast cancer cells prone to developing bone metastasis and determine how they are regulated by the bone microenvironment.

The bone is a site of frequent breast cancer metastasis. Bone metastasis accounts for 70% of advanced breast cancer cases and remains incurable. It can lead to skeletal-related events, such as bone fracture and pain, and seriously affect the quality of life of patients. Breast cancer cells escape from the primary lesion and spread to the bone marrow in the early stages. They can then enter the dormant state and restore tumourigenicity after several years to develop overt metastasis. In the last few years, an increasing number of studies have reported on the factors promoting bone metastasis of breast cancer cells, both at the primary and metastatic sites.

Identifying factors associated with bone metastasis aids in the early recognition of bone metastasis tendency. How to target these factors and minimize the side effects on the bone remains to be further explored.