Precancerous niche remodelling dictates nascent tumour persistence

Nature, Published online: 04 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10157-8

A study investigating the emergence of squamous tumours in the upper gastrointestinal tract of the mouse shows that an initial tumour stress response triggers fibroblasts to remodel the underlying stroma, creating a fibronectin-rich precancerous niche that supports tumour survival.