Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering showed in Nature Cancer that disseminated lung adenocarcinoma cells can undergo a TGFβ‑driven atypical epithelial‑to‑mesenchymal transition (EMT) that ends in a round, low‑tension morphology enabling escape from cytotoxic T cells. The team demonstrated in mouse models that a post‑EMT soft state reduces immune susceptibility and promotes dormancy. Authors Joan Massagué and Zhenghan Wang propose that therapeutic strategies to prevent softening or re‑stiffen dormant cells could make immune clearance of latent metastases feasible. The findings prioritize biomechanical cell state as a targetable axis in adjuvant therapy development.