Cancer Research

Scientists Identify Critical Window to Stop Cancer Before It Becomes Malignant

Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering discovered a critical cellular population that drives the transition from benign to malignant cancer. Using advanced single-cell analysis in pancreatic cancer models, they identified progenitor-like cells where cancer-promoting and tumor-suppressing programs converge. These cells create a specialized tissue environment that undergoes stepwise changes during cancer progression. Importantly, targeting these cells with KRAS inhibition delayed malignancy, while p53 suppression accelerated it. This work reveals a potential therapeutic window for intercepting cancer before it becomes invasive.