In a first of its kind study, Mount Sinai researchers have discovered the conditions by which specific signals in primary tumors of head and neck and breast cancers, pre-program cancer cells to become dormant and evade chemotherapy after spreading. Their findings, published in the January 31, 2017 issue of Nature Cell Biology and featured on the cover, could lead to new drug development, treatment options and transform the way doctors care for cancer patients to treat metastatic disease.