Before revision: Tumor stromal interactions have been shown to be the driving force behind the poor prognosis associated with aggressive breast tumors. These interactions, specifically between tumor and the surrounding ECM, and tumor and vascular endothelium, promote tumor formation, angiogenesis, and metastasis .
After revision: Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), a rare form of breast cancer associated with increased angiogenesis and metastasis, is largely driven by tumor-stromal interactions with the vasculature and the extracellular matrix (ECM). However, there is currently a lack of understanding of the role these interactions play in initiation and progression of the disease .