ABSTRACT
Extensive research from the last few decades demonstrated that prostaglandins are produced in excessive amounts in the great majority of tumors, and they may be responsible for several pathobiological events in tumor progression. Prostaglandins are products in almost every cell, although their chemical form and amount vary considerably with cell type, both in healthy and pathological situations. Concerning the mechanism by which prostacyclin reduces metastasis, the current view holds that prevention of tumor cell aggregation with platelets makes tumor cells much more vulnerable to the invading lymphocytes and macrophages. Reviewing the relevant reports and recalling our own experiences, we are attempting to imply that tumor progression is influenced by prostaglandins produced by both tumor and host cells. The prostaglandins formed have qualitatively different biological activity, hence, their function in tumor progression is manyfold.
