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Volume 26
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10.3390/ijms26199745
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Review

The Duality of Collagens in Metastases of Solid Tumors

by
Michelle Carnazza
1,
Danielle Quaranto
2,
Nicole DeSouza
2,
Xiu-Min Li
2,3,4,
Raj K. Tiwari
2,3,
Julie S. Di Martino
5 and
Jan Geliebter
2,3,*
1
R & D Division, General Nutraceutical Technology, LLC, Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510, USA
2
Department of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA
3
Department of Otolaryngology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA
4
Department of Dermatology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA
5
Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(19), 9745; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26199745
Submission received: 27 June 2025 / Revised: 17 September 2025 / Accepted: 2 October 2025 / Published: 7 October 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Molecular Oncology)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Metastases are responsible for the majority of cancer-related deaths and remain one of the most complex and therapeutically challenging hallmarks of cancer. The metastatic cascade involves a multistep process by which cancer cells invade local tissue, enter and survive in circulation, extravasate, and ultimately colonize distant organs. Increasingly, the tumor microenvironment (TME), particularly the extracellular matrix (ECM), has emerged as a central regulator of these steps. Far from being a passive scaffold, the ECM actively influences cancer progression through its biochemical signals, structural properties, and dynamic remodeling. Among ECM components, collagens play a particularly pivotal role by mediating tumor cell adhesion, migration, invasion, survival, immune evasion, and therapeutic resistance. This narrative review synthesizes current knowledge of the dual roles of collagen in the metastatic process, with a focus on the cellular and molecular mechanisms. We highlight how altered ECM architecture and signaling contribute to metastatic niche formation and explore the potential of targeting ECM components as a strategy to enhance cancer therapy and improve patient outcomes.
Keywords: cancer metastasis; tumor microenvironment; extracellular matrix; collagen; tumor invasion cancer metastasis; tumor microenvironment; extracellular matrix; collagen; tumor invasion

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MDPI and ACS Style

Carnazza, M.; Quaranto, D.; DeSouza, N.; Li, X.-M.; Tiwari, R.K.; Di Martino, J.S.; Geliebter, J. The Duality of Collagens in Metastases of Solid Tumors. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26, 9745. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26199745

AMA Style

Carnazza M, Quaranto D, DeSouza N, Li X-M, Tiwari RK, Di Martino JS, Geliebter J. The Duality of Collagens in Metastases of Solid Tumors. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2025; 26(19):9745. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26199745

Chicago/Turabian Style

Carnazza, Michelle, Danielle Quaranto, Nicole DeSouza, Xiu-Min Li, Raj K. Tiwari, Julie S. Di Martino, and Jan Geliebter. 2025. "The Duality of Collagens in Metastases of Solid Tumors" International Journal of Molecular Sciences 26, no. 19: 9745. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26199745

APA Style

Carnazza, M., Quaranto, D., DeSouza, N., Li, X.-M., Tiwari, R. K., Di Martino, J. S., & Geliebter, J. (2025). The Duality of Collagens in Metastases of Solid Tumors. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26(19), 9745. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26199745

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