TGF-β initiates oncogenic signals that can transform cancer cells from an epithelial to a mesenchymal phenotype.33,34 We hypothesised that the ability of eribulin to reverse EMT in breast cancer cells, xenograft models, and circulating tumour cells in patients19,20 could be due to a rapid microtubule depolymerisation-mediated inhibition of TGF-β signalling. The gene discussed is TGFB1; the disease is breast carcinoma.