How cancer cells move and spread

Breast cancer cells (shown in green) individually peel off from the main tumor when they get a “go” signal from a type of growth factor called TGF-beta. Cells can also move in clumps, but that migration is not controlled by TGF-beta, shows a new study presented at the American Society for Cell Biology annual meeting. Immune cells called macrophages are shown in red and connective tissue appears in cyan and magenta.

Credit: Erik Sahai – Cancer Research UK