Researchers from the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, at the University of Manchester in the UK, report their findings in the journal Cell Reports.

As Medicalnewstoday.com reports, the ties that keep the cells lashed together are controlled by a protein called TIAM1.

When cells are working normally, their routine maintenance processes detect and remove faulty and worn out cell parts so they can be broken down and recycled.

But when the maintenance process goes wrong, it goes too far and chops up too many of the TIAM1 ties.

Lead researcher Dr. Angeliki Malliri explains the significance of what they found when they looked at the cells under a microscope:

"This important research shows for the first time how lung cancer cells sever ties with their neighbours and start to spread around the body, by hijacking the cells' recycling process and sending it into overdrive. Targeting this flaw could help stop lung cancer from spreading."