Researchers have discovered how pancreatic cancer reprograms its surroundings to spread quickly and stealthily. Using a protein called periostin, the tumor remodels nearby tissue. This protein allows cancer cells to attack nerves. This makes the cells travel and metastasize. At the same time, the process creates a hard fibrous barrier around the tumor. This barrier reduces the effectiveness of the treatment. Targeting periostin could help stop invasion before it starts.