A team of researchers, primarily from Kyoto University and Nagoya University in Japan, has made a groundbreaking discovery on how cancer cells spread within the body. The study reveals that cells within carcinoma tissue tend to move away from areas rich in hydrogen peroxide, termed 'hot spots', triggering the process of metastasis. By conducting experiments on mice with transplanted human tumor cells, the researchers were able to directly detect hydrogen peroxide levels around individual cells and observe the formation of these hot spots. It was noted that high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide prompt cancer cells to detach and migrate away from the main tumor mass. The study sheds light on the vital role of neutrophils in generating hydrogen peroxide within cancer tissue. The presence of neutrophils around hot spots was found to be crucial in fostering the separation and release of cancer cells. By understanding this mechanism, the researchers aim to develop a targeted medicine that inhibits cancer metastasis by disrupting the action of hydrogen peroxide. The findings, published in Nature Cell Biology, provide a promising avenue for the future treatment of cancer and offer new insights into the process of tumor spread.