10/10/2025
Cancer Uses Mitochondria to Reprogram Neighboring Cells
A new discovery reveals how cancer cells can manipulate their surroundings to support tumor growth. Recent research has shown that cancer cells can transfer mitochondria—the cell’s energy-producing organelles—to nearby noncancerous cells, effectively reprogramming them to favor tumor survival and expansion.
Scientists found that this mitochondrial transfer alters the metabolism and behavior of neighboring cells, converting them into “tumor-supportive” partners. These reprogrammed cells begin to produce nutrients, growth factors, and signaling molecules that help cancer cells resist stress, grow faster, and evade the immune system.
This finding changes how researchers view the tumor microenvironment, highlighting that cancer is not just a disease of individual cells but a cooperative ecosystem where energy and information are exchanged.
By blocking mitochondrial transfer or interfering with the metabolic changes it causes, future therapies might disrupt this cellular collaboration—potentially stopping cancer growth or improving the effectiveness of existing treatments.
