Recent advances in the study of tumour invasion and metastasis.

Introduction The application of recently developed research techniques to the study of tumour invasion and metastasis has uncovered new and surprising information which has focused increasing clinical and scientific interest on this aspect of neoplasia. The magnitude of the effect of this problem on health is revealed by reference to the annual mortality statistics published by the Registrar General of England and Wales. These show that about one in three of the population die of the consequences of metastatic cancer, or are found to harbour asymptomatic metastatic tumour deposits at necropsy. Research on this subject is therefore directed at controlling a major, clinically important phenomenon. A selection of recent advances which offer new opportunities for early diagnosis or treatment of this aspect of malignant disease are surveyed in this brief overview.