A fascinating study led by Sylvain Lefort’s team, a researcher at Inserm Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes at the Lyon Cancer Research Center (CRCL), explores a remarkable phenomenon: the ability of leukemic cells to change shape to resist treatments.

This research focuses on acute myeloid leukemia and particularly examines bone marrow, the origin site of this pathology. To conduct their work, the researchers have developed a sophisticated laboratory model replicating the bone marrow environment, incorporating various cell types to study the interactions between cancer cells and their microenvironment.

In collaboration with physicists, the team also analyzes the biomechanical properties of cells, including their flexibility and adherence. The goal is to identify biomechanical markers that could predict treatment effectiveness.

This discovery about cellular plasticity as a survival mechanism for tumor cells opens new perspectives in understanding and treating leukemias.