Imaging Approaches in Cancer Biology

Abstract

A majority of cancer research is focused on defining the cellular and molecular basis of cancer cells and the signals that control oncogenic transformation; as a consequence, we know very little about the dynamic behavior of cancer cells in vivo. To begin to view and understand the mechanisms and interactions that control cancer initiation, growth, and metastatic progression and how these processes are influenced by the microenvironment and the signals derived from it, it is essential to develop strategies that allow imaging of the cancer cells in the context of the living microenvironment. Here, we discuss emerging work designed to visualize how cancer cells function within the microenvironment to discover how these interactions act coordinately to enable aberrant growth and to understand how they could be targeted to design new approaches to intercept the disease.