Basal Invasion of Cancer Cells Driven by Cell–Cell Interactions: An Affirmative Role of Cell Competition in Cancer Progression

Abstract

Cancer develops through the transformation of normal epithelial cells, followed by the expansion of hyperplastic cells within epithelial tissues and the subsequent generation of invasive cells capable of breaching the basement membrane. Basal delamination represents a pivotal early step that primes transformed cells for invasion and accounts for a large part of the lethality associated with carcinomas. Emerging evidence indicates that, upon the appearance of transformed cells, an intricate interplay between these cells and the surrounding epithelial neighbors acts as a potential driver of cancer cell invasion. Notably, certain transformed cells exploit cell competition for their own benefit to guide basal delamination. In this review, we delineate the physiological roles of cell competition in cancer cell dissemination and discuss the molecular cues underlying heterotypic cell interaction-induced basal extrusion.