Cancer cells are able to push through blood vessels with 200 times the force of ordinary cells, according to a study that may help explain how tumours spread throughout the body.

Researchers have shown that when cancer cells cluster together and stick to the walls of veins and arteries they may form a network that generates a mechanical force, allowing them to break through weaker sections. They said the work could also offer new ways of preventing cancer from metastasis.

The discovery came after a team of scientists developed a new method for testing the strength of forces produced by living cells, including breast cancer cells.

“When we performed measurements we realised that the force from cancer cells exerted was much, much higher,” said Joseph