What is it about?
The spread of oral cancer to nearby lymph nodes is a critical factor that can lead to poor outcomes for patients. For years, we have known that cancer cells do not act alone, but the exact details of their collaboration with other cells in the surrounding tissue have remained unclear. Our research shines a spotlight on this collaboration. We discovered that a specific type of supportive cell, called a myofibroblastic CAF (myCAF), acts as a key 'accomplice' for the cancer cells. These myCAFs gather at the invasive front of the tumor, creating a supportive environment that helps the cancer cells become more aggressive and spread. Using advanced spatial mapping technology, we created a "precision map" of this interaction. This allowed us to identify a unique 23-gene "fingerprint" from this metastatic hotspot. This spatially resolved signature can predict which patients are at high risk of their cancer spreading to the lymph nodes and overall survival.
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Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash
Why is it important?
The significance of this work was immediately recognized, being selected as an official Research Highlight by MD Anderson Cancer Center. The news was then distributed globally via EurekAlert!, the premier science news service from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), publisher of Science. This is because our discovery marks a critical step towards developing more personalized and effective treatments for oral cancer. The 23-gene signature we identified has the potential to become a new diagnostic biomarker, allowing clinicians to identify high-risk patients much earlier and tailor treatments to prevent metastasis before it occurs. Furthermore, by understanding the molecular conversation between cancer cells and their myCAF 'accomplices,' we have uncovered new potential targets for therapies. Disrupting this harmful partnership could offer a new strategy to stop cancer from spreading, ultimately improving survival and quality of life for patients.
Perspectives
"For years, we have focused on the cancer cell itself, yet metastasis remains a major challenge. Our research reveals the challenge often lies with the cancer cell's accomplice, and we believe the key to winning this fight is to target this accomplice, preventing metastasis before it even starts."
Ken Furudate
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Spatial colocalization and molecular crosstalk of myofibroblastic CAFs and tumor cells shape lymph node metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma, PLoS Genetics, September 2025, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011791.
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Resources
Official MD Anderson Cancer Center Press Release
Our research was featured as an official Research Highlight by MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Global News Distribution on EurekAlert! (AAAS)
The findings of our study as distributed to a global audience by the science news service from the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Contributors
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