Review examines tumor plasticity as a target for cancer therapy

A review in Nature Cancer examines nongenetic tumor plasticity and its emerging clinical applications in cancer therapy. The authors describe how reversible changes in cellular state can produce drug-tolerant tumor populations that bypass a targeted pathway. Such plasticity, which also occurs during development and regeneration, can generate new lineages or phenotypes; drug sensitivity may return after treatment withdrawal. Over time, genetic mutations may accumulate and make resistance permanent. This framework broadens the therapeutic focus beyond genetic resistance mechanisms to include nongenetic vulnerabilities, with strategies intended to prevent or eliminate plastic and transformed tumor populations. The available subscription preview does not identify specific interventions, study populations, quantitative outcomes or evidence supporting individual clinical applications. It therefore provides a conceptual rationale for therapeutic development rather than sufficient evidence to guide treatment decisions.