Bacteria break barrier to promote metastasis

The intestinal microbiota promote colorectal cancer, but their role in metastasis is poorly defined. In this issue of Cancer Cell, Bertocchi et al. report that intratumoral bacteria disrupt the gut vascular barrier, causing bacterial dissemination to the liver and the formation of a premetastatic niche, favoring recruitment of metastatic cells.

Automated summary

In this study, it was found that intratumoral bacteria disrupt the gut vascular barrier, leading to bacterial dissemination to the liver and the formation of a premetastatic niche, which facilitates the recruitment of metastatic cells.