Despite this clinical importance, the exact pathologic process
of tumor metastasis is as yet poorly understood, and
deciphering the exact molecular
mechanism of this process is
of paramount importance to identify specific therapeutic targets for this devastating
disease.
To cite a few instances, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a molecular method developed over three decades ago, has been widely applied in
disease diagnosis,
disease mechanism deciphering, and prognosis prediction; the elucidation
of tyrosine kinase activity in cancer cells has led to the development
of novel drugs for cancer treatment; and the identification
of proteins and genetic molecules by molecular methods as biomarkers for
disease diagnosis and prognosis has been drawing great interest.