Light switch wakes lung cancer cells up from a protective dormant state

Tumor cells can lapse into a sleep-like state and thereby evade the destructive effect of cancer drugs.

In some types of the disease, such as certain forms of lung cancer, this state is triggered by stress hormones in the body.

Inside the cancer cells, glucocorticoid receptors recognize the hormones, and the cells respond by lapsing into a state in which they undergo barely any division.

This renders many treatments ineffective. ...