Research into mechanisms of hematogenous metastasis has largely become genetic in focus, attempting to understand the molecular basis of `seed-soil relationships. Preceeding this biological mechanism is the physical process of dissemination of circulating tumour cells (CTCs). We utilize a `filter-flow paradigm to show that assumptions about CTC dynamics strongly affect metastatic efficiency: without data on CTC dynamics, any attempt to predict metastatic spread in individual patients is impossible.
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