Glioblastoma study finds a protein that limits how tumour cells adapt

An international team involving the German Cancer Research Center examined which genes were active in individual cells from 12 glioblastomas. Data from more than a million cells showed that tumour cells switch between states in recognisable patterns. These changes can help a tumour become less sensitive to treatment.

In experiments using cells from patient tumours, the protein MYT1L switched off genes that help cells change state. In mice, tumours with higher MYT1L activity grew more slowly and spread less into surrounding tissue. The study appeared in Nature on 4 November 2026. Further research is needed to find out whether this mechanism could be used in a treatment for people.