Authors: Frédéric Thomas, Dujon, Antoine M., Andriy Marusyk, James DeGregori, Alexandre Fontanella, Margaux Bieuville, Mario Campone, Pascal Pujol, Catherine Alix-Panabières, Laurent Lecam, Benjamin Roche, Matthieu Lacroix, Christophe Hirtz, Laurent Poulain, Jean-Pascal Capp, Ujvari, Beata, Jordan Meliani, Robert Noble, Aurora M. Nedelcu & Robert Gatenby

Source: npj Precision Oncology (Jun 2026)

Abstract

Many cancer therapies achieve durable control without complete tumor eradication, suggesting that disrupting tumor organization may be more critical than killing cells.

We propose that effective treatments converge by destabilizing the tumor’s Group Phenotypic Composition (GPC), the functional and spatial organization of interacting cell populations. When this organization collapses, tumors lose coherence. This perspective provides a unifying framework for designing therapies targeting tumor-level dynamics rather than cell number alone.