The physics of cancer: the role of physical interactions and mechanical forces in metastasis

Abstract

This article describes the importance of key physical and mechanical processes at each step of the metastatic cascade. The emerging insight into these physical interactions may lead to new approaches to developing cancer diagnostics and therapies. Metastasis is a complex, multistep process responsible for >90% of cancer-related deaths. In addition to genetic and external environmental factors, the physical interactions of cancer cells with their microenvironment, as well as their modulation by mechanical forces, are key determinants of the metastatic process. We reconstruct the metastatic process and describe the importance of key physical and mechanical processes at each step of the cascade. The emerging insight into these physical interactions may help to solve some long-standing questions in disease progression and may lead to new approaches to developing cancer diagnostics and therapies.