AUTHOR=Morris Emma V. , Edwards Claire M. 

TITLE=Bone Marrow Adipose Tissue: A New Player in Cancer Metastasis to Bone

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Endocrinology

VOLUME=Volume 7 - 2016

YEAR=2016

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2016.00090

DOI=10.3389/fendo.2016.00090

ISSN=1664-2392

ABSTRACT=The bone marrow is a favoured site for a number of cancers, including the haematological malignancy multiple myeloma, and metastasis of breast and prostate cancer. This specialised microenvironment is highly supportive, not only for tumour growth and survival, but also for the development of an associated destructive cancer-induced bone disease. The interactions between tumour cells and osteoclasts and osteoblasts are well documented. In contrast, despite occupying a significant proportion of the bone marrow, the importance of bone marrow adipose tissue is only just emerging. The ability of bone marrow adipocytes to regulate skeletal biology and haematopoiesis, combined with their metabolic activity, endocrine functions and proximity to tumour cells means that they are ideally placed to impact both tumour growth and bone disease. This review discusses the recent advances in our understanding of how marrow adipose tissue contributes to bone metastasis and cancer-induced bone disease.