Scientists from the Barcelona Institute for Biomedical Research have found that some cancer cells can “turn off” genes that cause inflammation, thereby hiding their presence in the body. The findings are published in the journal Cancer Research (CRes). The researchers explained that some cancer cells can go into a state of “persistence” - temporarily and reversibly “inhibit” their functioning and then resume activity after completing a course of cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy. This awakening of cells is very likely to lead to a recurrence of the disease. In laboratory experiments, scientists found that persistent cells block genes responsible for inflammation through a specific epigenetic mechanism. Inflammation as a defense and adaptive process helps the body detect and eliminate threats. Its suppression helps cancer cells avoid being recognized and destroyed by the immune system. Unlike senescent cells, which actively trigger inflammation and use other strategies to evade the immune response, persistent cells act “stealthily,” making them particularly dangerous. According to the scientists, suppressing epigenetic control with appropriate drugs could re-activate inflammatory genes and reduce the viability of persistent cells. However, more research is needed to test this hypothesis.