Disseminated tumour cells that survive treatment may become dormant and their 'awakening' may be the source of metastases. This Review discusses the mechanisms and factors that regulate tumour dormancy, including the extracellular and stromal microenvironments, autophagy and epigenetics. The authors also discuss how this information could be used therapeutically for metastatic disease.
- María Soledad Sosa
- Paloma Bragado
- Julio A. Aguirre-Ghiso