Fig. 3
From: Role of tumor microenvironment in ovarian cancer metastasis and clinical advancements
Primary tumor progression and metastasis and complex interactions within the TME. TME evolves throughout the various stages of cancer progression. The TME includes a variety of immune cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts, endothelial cells and extracellular matrix. These components may vary by tissue type and co-evolve as the tumor progresses. The cells and factors of the TME also play an important role in preparing the pre-metastatic ecological niche as well as facilitating extravasation. During the metastatic phase, TME helps to control metastatic cell dormancy, emergence from dormancy, and subsequent metastatic growth. TME, tumor microenvironment