TY - JOUR AU - Whitsett, Timothy G. AU - Inge, Landon J. AU - Dhruv, Harshil D. AU - Cheung, Philip Y. AU - Weiss, Glen J. AU - Bremner, Ross M. AU - Winkles, Jeffrey A. AU - Tran, Nhan L. PY - 2013 TI - Molecular determinants of lung cancer metastasis to the central nervous system JF - Translational Lung Cancer Research; Vol 2, No 4 (August 17, 2013): Translational Lung Cancer Research Y2 - 2013 KW - N2 - Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. The propensity for metastasis to the central nervous system (CNS) is a major clinical hurdle contributing to the low five-year survival rate of advanced disease. CNS metastases significantly outnumber primary brain tumors and carry a dismal prognosis in part due to the inability of therapeutic agents to cross the blood brain barrier. Standard treatment using radiation has been largely ineffective in improving mortality, suggesting the need for new agents targeting the critical metastatic drivers. The genetic and molecular events governing CNS metastasis from the lung are poorly understood at this time. This review highlights genetic events associated with CNS dissemination from the lung and molecular mechanisms associated with CNS metastasis. In vivo model systems that faithfully recapitulate escape from the lung and colonization of the CNS are described as tools for understanding the metastatic phenotype and for testing new therapeutic agents. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms of lung cancer metastasis to the CNS is needed to elucidate novel therapeutic avenues towards the improvement of the mortality associated with advanced stage lung cancer. UR - https://tlcr.amegroups.org/article/view/1052