Hallmarks of cancer—Then and now, and beyond

In a landmark review published in Cell, Douglas Hanahan revisits and expands the influential Hallmarks of Cancer framework, which has shaped oncology research for a quarter-century. The updated synthesis integrates aberrant cellular capabilities, enabling traits, tumor microenvironment dynamics, and systemic host interactions into a multidimensional model of tumorigenesis. Hanahan proposes that mechanism-guided co-targeting of multiple hallmarks simultaneously may unlock more effective therapeutic strategies. While not presenting new experimental data, the paper provides a unifying conceptual roadmap for the next generation of cancer research and drug development.