The growth and death of cancer cells in the lab are studied primarily in two-dimensional cell cultures. In a study published in the journal Developmental Cell on Oct. 14, researchers instead used three-dimensional models to uncover how pressure and mechanical confinement impact cell growth—halting the cells' metastatic behavior and ultimately leading to their death. The findings could lead to the development of new biomarkers to predict which cancers are more likely to spread, or metastasize, and could ultimately lead to new approaches for preventing metastasis.