901-Oncofetal Plasticity in Early Colorectal Cancer

Paper Talk · May 5, 2026 · 22m

This research identifies that metastasis-associated oncofetal cell states emerge at the earliest stages of colorectal cancer, specifically at the invasive front. By utilizing multiregional organoid models and whole-genome sequencing, scientists demonstrated that these aggressive traits are not caused by internal genetic mutations but are instead triggered by the tumour microenvironment. High-resolution spatial transcriptomics revealed that a specific fibroblast subtype, known as trophocyte-like cancer-associated fibroblasts, localizes at the invasive edge to induce these plastic, fetal-like…