Implantable synthetic metastatic niches: a novel approach to cancer detection

Recent advances in tissue engineering have allowed for the development of implantable tissues with properties that preferentially attract metastases, called synthetic metastatic niches (SMNs). Although nascent, these SMNs have the potential to revolutionise monitoring of cancer metastasis and remission. This would be a much-needed advancement in the field given the limitations of the current methodologies for detection of cancer metastases. The unique abilities of SMNs have already facilitated advanced research in metastasis. Early studies and theories of clinical use predict that implanted SMNs could decrease tumour load throughout the body, allow for earlier detection of metastasis, and guide personalised cancer therapeutics. This review aims to explain what SMNs are, provide a brief overview of their development, and discuss their exciting potential applications in the realm of cancer and metastasis detection.