A joint team of Chinese and US researchers has identified a specific group of highly adaptable tumor cells that act as a “central hub” driving lung cancer progression, according to Xinhua News.
Published this week in Nature, the study was led by scientists from Huazhong Agricultural University in China and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. The research reveals a new strategy for targeting cancers that evade treatment.
Using a genetic reporting system in mouse models, researchers tracked tumor cells in real time, adding “trackable chips” and “precision clearance switches.”
This allowed them to identify a high-plasticity cell state (HPCS) that directs tumor growth, guides cells along different paths, and enables others to revert to an adaptable state.
The team found that eliminating HPCS cells in early tumors prevented malignancy, while targeting them in established tumors slowed cancer growth.
Removing these cells also reduced resistance to chemotherapy and targeted therapies. Combined with standard treatments, the approach nearly eradicated tumors in lab models.
According to the researchers, targeting HPCS cells could become a promising new strategy for multiple cancers, offering hope for therapies that overcome drug resistance and prevent tumor recurrence.