This textbook describes in detail the process of cancer metastasis from a single cell in the primary site through its arduous journey to the sentinel lymph node as the main gateway and beyond to distant sites. The most up-to-date knowledge on key topics in the molecular biology, diagnosis, and treatment of metastatic cancer is highlighted by a large panel of experts.

The book begins with a comprehensive overview of the genetic and molecular mechanisms that promote or inhibit cancer metastasis through lymphatic pathways to lymph nodes or through vascular pathways to distant sites, providing the reader with an essential basic knowledge. This is followed by further details on the role of the immune system within the primary tumor and the lymph node and the importance of the microenvironment at the metastatic site. The role of the sentinel lymph node in cancer metastasis is emphasized. Special attention is also given to state-of-the-art imaging techniques for the detection of early-stage cancer and cancer metastases, as well as the use of liquid biopsies in sarcoma, prostate, gastrointestinal, and lung cancer. Clinical patterns of malignant tumors arising in different organ systems are compared, described, and discussed with the goal of determining what similarities and/or differences exist. The book concludes with a detailed discussion of surgical intervention, radiation, and systemic therapy of primary and metastatic cancer, and briefly previews several emerging topics, such as the latest findings on personalized cancer therapy, cancer stem cells, unique molecular mechanisms of virus-induced cancer, the impact of the microbiome on cancer metastasis and the application of artificial intelligence in cancer metastasis research.

By providing fundamental knowledge of the biological and clinical aspects of cancer metastasis, this book will be an important reference for cancer researchers, clinical oncologists, teachers, and students. Written by experts in the field, each chapter includes a summary of the chapter's key points and open-ended questions that address pressing issues in the field and encourage the reader to consider future directions. 

Section 1: Genetic and Molecular Pathways of Cancer Growth and Metastasis

Chapter 1. Hallmarks of Cancer: Molecular Underpinnings
Chapter 2. Unifying concept of genomic changes: The mutational landscape of cancers
Chapter 3. Tumor Microenvironment: Coconspirator in Tumorigenesis
Chapter 4. Hallmarks of Metastasis: Molecular Underpinnings
Chapter 5. Hereditary Cancer Syndromes and Cancer Metastasis
Section 2: Pathology of Cancer Growth and Metastasis
Chapter 6. Pathologic Assessment of Lymph Node Metastasis
Chapter 7. Pathologic Assessment of Systemic or Distant Metastasis
Chapter 8. The Role of Angiotropic Extravascular Migratory Metastasis in Metastases
Section 3: Dormant Cancer Cells and their Reactivation in the Host Cancer Microenvironment
Chapter 9. Tumor Dormancy and Relapse Regulated by the Extracellular Matrix
Chapter 10. Therapy-Induced Dormancy and Residual Disease
Section 4: The Microenvironment of Site-Specific Metastasis - Isaac P. Witz
Chapter11. The Microenvironment of Site-Specific Metastasis
Section 5: Circulating Cancer Cells and Liquid Biopsy
Chapter 12. Circulating tumor cells and ctDNA in sarcomas
Chapter 13. Liquid biopsy using cell-free tumor DNA for gastrointestinal cancers
 Chapter 14. Circulating tumor cells and ctDNA in prostate cancer.-Chapter 15. Circulating Tumor Cells in Lung Cancer
Chapter 16. CTCs/ ctDNA and Brain Metastasis.-Chapter 17. Epigenetics and liquid biopsy in oncology: role in metastasis and clinical utility
Chapter 18. Metabolic reprogramming of circulating tumor cells for metastasis
Section 6: Lymphatic System and Cancer Metastasis
Chapter 19. Lymphatic System Biology, Pathobiology, and Relation to Cancer Metastasis
Chapter 20. Lymphatic Specification and Development, EMT-MET, and Cancer Spread
Chapter 21. Lymphangiogenesis, Lymph Nodes, Cancer Lymphangiogenesis and Metastasis
Chapter 22. Immune cell trafficking in the lymphatics, hyaluronan biology and tumour metastasis
Chapter 23. Lymphvascular Genomics and Proteomics, Clinical Syndromes, and Cancer Metastasis
Chapter 24. Imaging of the Lymphatic System with Relevance to Cancer and Cancer Metastasis
Chapter 25. Lymphedema: general pathophysiology, prevention and management in invasive cancer
Section 7: Radiological Imaging of Early Cancer and Cancer Metastases
Chapter 26. Primary Tumor Staging and Detection of Common Sites of Distant Metastatic Disease
Chapter 27. Imaging Modalities in the Detection and Diagnosis of Metastatic Disease
Chapter 28. Imaging of Bone Metastases
Chapter 29. Imaging of Lung and Soft Tissue Metastases
Chapter 30. Image-Guided Biopsy and Intervention for Metastatic Disease
Section 8: Sentinel Lymph Node Surgery for Solid Cancer. Chapter 31. Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for Primary Cutaneous Malignancy
Chapter 32. Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Breast Cancer
Chapter 33. Sentinel node navigation surgery for upper gastrointestinal cancer
 Chapter 34. Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping in Non-Small Cell Lung, Colon, and Thyroid Carcinomas
Section 9: Surgical Treatment of Primary and Metastatic Cancer
Chapter 35. The efficacy and evolution of surgical management based on cancer biology
Chapter 36. The role of surgery in managing primary and metastatic melanoma
Chapter 37. The Role of Surgery in Managing Primary and Metastatic Breast Cancer
Chapter 38. The role of surgery in managing primary and metastatic colorectal cancer
Chapter 39. The Role of Surgery in Management of Gastric Cancer
Chapter 40. The role of surgery in managing primary and metastatic hepatopancreaticobiliary cancers
Section 10: Cancer Metastasis to the Lung
Chapter 41. Metastatic disease of the lung
Section 11: Cancer Metastasis to the Liver
Chapter 42. Tumor Resection and Ablation as a Means of Controlling Hepatic Metastases
Chapter 43. Regional Arterial Infusional Therapy as a Means of Controlling Hepatic Metastases
Section 12: Cancer Metastasis to the Bone.-         Chapter 44. Molecular Mechanisms of Metastasis to the Bone.-Chapter 45. Surgical Management of Metastatic Disease to the Upper Extremity
Chapter 46. Surgical Management of Metastatic Disease to the Lower Extremity
Chapter 47. Surgical management of metastatic disease to the pelvis
Chapter 48. Surgical Management of Metastatic Disease to the Spine
Chapter 49. Interventional radiology techniques for management of skeletal metastases
Section 13: Cancer Metastasis to the Brain and the Nervous System
Chapter 50. Brain Metastases: Overview and Molecular Mechanisms
Chapter 51. Indications and Techniques for Surgical Intervention in Patients with Metastatic Brain Tumors
Chapter 52. Brain Metastases: Current and Future pharmacological treatment
 Chapter 53. Radiotherapy for CNS Metastases
Chapter 54. Leptomeningeal Carcinomatoses
Section 14: Urologic Cancer and 1st Patterns of Metastasis
Chapter 55. Urologic Cancer and 1st Patterns of Metastasis
Section 15: Biology and Clinical Aspects of Sarcoma Progression
Chapter 56. Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Chapter 57. Bone Sarcoma
Chapter 58. Liposarcoma Metastasis
Chapter 59. Desmoid Tumors.-Chapter 60. Atypical patterns of metastases: How do Sarcoma's metastasize?
Chapter 61. Tumor Immune Microenvironment of Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Section 16: The Role of Radiation in the Treatment of Primary and Metastatic Cancer
Chapter 62. Basic Principles of Radiobiology and Cancer Metastasis Prevention
Chapter 63. Technical Innovations in the Delivery of Radiation Therapy
Chapter 64. Radiation Therapy in the Definitive Treatment of Cancer
Chapter 65. Radiation Therapy for Extracranial Oligometastatic Disease
Chapter 66. Spine Radiotherapy
Section 17: Immunotherapy of Solid Malignancies
Chapter 67. Immunotherapy in Melanoma and Merkel Cell Cancer
Chapter 68. Landscape of Immunotherapy in Lung Cancer
Chapter 69. Immuno-oncologicTreatment of Genitourinary Malignancies
Section 18: Current Topics
Chapter 70. Personalized Systemic Cancer Therapy
 Chapter 71. Cancer Stem Cells and Their Role in Metastasis
Chapter 72. HPV Induced Cancers
Chapter 73. Microbiome and Cancer Metastasis
Chapter 74. Application of Artificial Intelligence in Research on Cancer and Its Metastasis.