Core Insights - The article discusses a significant research study on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), highlighting the discovery of a GPR116⁺ pericyte subpopulation that plays an immunosuppressive role in cancer metastasis [2][3][5]. Group 1: Research Findings - The study utilized single-cell multi-omics and spatial transcriptomics techniques, analyzing 16 samples with 117,169 cells and 5 samples with 195,366 cells, respectively, to reveal the cellular and spatial characteristics of ESCC [5]. - A pericyte subpopulation driven by the transcription factor PRRX1 was identified, which promotes tumor metastasis and immune evasion [3][5][6]. - GPR116⁺ pericytes secrete EGFL6, which binds to integrin β1 on cancer cells, activating the NF-κB signaling pathway and facilitating tumor progression [6]. Group 2: Clinical Implications - The study suggests that serum levels of EGFL6 could serve as a non-invasive biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of various tumors [6]. - Blocking integrin β1 in ESCC animal models effectively inhibited tumor metastasis and significantly improved responses to immunotherapy [6]. - The research provides a spatially resolved map of the tumor microenvironment in ESCC, revealing the biological and clinical significance of GPR116⁺ pericytes, which may lead to innovative treatment strategies for metastatic cancer [6][7].