Researchers at MD Anderson reported that tumor‑infiltrating Fusobacterium nucleatum can disrupt epithelial cell interactions, induce a reversible quiescent state in cancer cells and blunt chemotherapy response in oral and colorectal cancers. Spatial profiling, preclinical models and patient cohort analyses in Cancer Cell traced how bacteria settle among tumor cells, reduce transcriptional activity and correlate with lower immune gene expression and worse treatment response. Lead author Susan Bullman highlighted that microbial‑tumor interactions have been underappreciated and may represent actionable targets. The findings suggest antimicrobial or microbe‑aware therapeutic strategies could complement existing chemo‑immunotherapy regimens, though clinical translation will require careful study of on‑target effects and microbiome ecology.