Re-interpreting tumour behaviour and the tumour microenvironment as normal responses to tissue disorganisation.

Much of tumour cell biology and the tumour microenvironment may be normal wound healing responses as a consequence of the disruption of tissue structure. This is why tumours resemble wounds, and many features of the tumour microenvironment, such as the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, cancer-associated fibroblasts, and inflammatory infiltrates, may largely be normal responses to abnormal tissue structure, not an exploitation of wound-healing biology. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.