In a study published in Cancer Cell, a multi-region transcriptome analysis through single-cell RNA sequencing and whole-exome sequencing of laser-capture microdissection samples from 12 patients with kidney tumours was carried out to understand the heterogeneity and evolution of kidney cancer. Spatial transcriptomics was subsequently used to validate regional transcriptomic differences, comparing cell profiles of the tumour–normal cell interface with the tumour core. Results from this study showed that intratumour heterogeneity of CD8+ T cells is more prominent than somatic heterogeneity. Moreover, tumour cells with an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition programme are enriched at the tumour–normal cell interface, and co-localize with macrophages expressing IL-1β, which could be investigated as a therapeutic target.