Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology, Published online: 21 September 2026; doi:10.1038/s41571-026-01203-5The extracellular matrix (ECM) has a role in all aspects of cancer progression and thus provides a rich source of potential tumour biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Nonetheless, early efforts at clinical translation have failed to provide ECM-specific clinical tools or therapies. In this Review, the authors describe novel technologies and how these are being leveraged to better inform our understanding of the role of the ECM in cancer development and progression as well as how this new knowledge and capabilities might lead to novel biomarkers and/or ECM-targeting therapies.

Aimed at clinicians who wish to undertake PhD research training. Applications for the 2027 Clinical Research Training Fellowships is open info package Application system will open soon Clinical ...