Cancer dormancy: isolation and characterization of dormant lymphoma cells.

"Tumor dormancy" is an operational term used to describe a prolonged quiescent state in which tumor cells are present, but tumor progression is not clinically apparent. Although clinical examples of tumor dormancy abound, little is known regarding the mechanisms underlying this state. Here we utilize an antibody-induced dormancy model of an aggressive murine B-cell lymphoma (BCL1) and show that the induction of the dormant state is accompanied by dramatic changes in tumor cell morphology and cell cycle status. These data indicate the feasibility of altering the malignant phenotype of transformed cells by specific signals originating at the cell surface, and they suggest new opportunities for therapeutic intervention in cancer.