ABSTRACT
The growth of primary and metastatic tumours determines the clinical course of malignant disease. Tumour growth results from a disturbed tissue homeostasis, driven by functional capabilities acquired during tumourigenesis. These acquired capabilities include self-sufficiency in growth signals, insensitivity to anti-growth signals, limitless proliferative potential, evading apoptosis and sustained angiogenesis. The speed of growth, or the growth rate, varies considerably between different tumours due to differences in cell proliferation and cell loss. Under experimental conditions, such as with transplanted tumour models, the size of the tumour can be precisely and repeatedly measured using simple callipers. In the clinical situation, precision and feasibility of tumour size measurement depend on the anatomical site and the imaging technology.
