544-Spatial Metastatic Tolerance in Lymph Node Niches

Paper Talk · Feb 23, 2026 · 15m

This research explores how cancer spreads to lymph nodes and actively reshapes the immune system to favor tumor growth. By utilizing high-dimensional spatial imaging and transcriptomics on human and mouse tissues, the authors demonstrate that lymph node colonization is not a passive event but a driver of systemic immunosuppression. The presence of tumor cells triggers the formation of suppressive cellular niches composed of specialized fibroblasts and myeloid cells that impair T cell function. These changes extend beyond the immediate tumor site, affecting distant, tumor-free lymph nodes and…