Vascular co-option by brain metastasis-initiating cells has been demonstrated as a critical step in organ colonization. The physical interaction between the cancer cell and the endothelial cell is mediated by integrins and L1CAM and could be involved in aggressive growth but also latency and immune evasion. The key involvement of vascular co-option in brain metastasis has created an emerging field that aims to identify critical targets as well as effective inhibitors with the goal of preventing brain metastases.
Keywords: Brain metastasis; Breast cancer; Capillaries; Lung cancer; Melanoma; Vascular co-option.