In a new Perspective published in Frontiers in Oncology, researchers in the TIME Lab explore the potential linkages between tumor mechanics and cancer metabolism in brain metastases. Led by postdoctoral fellow Killian Onwudiwe and graduate student Alice Burchett, this publication is part of a special issue on "Tumor Microenvironment in the Progression of Brain Metastasis," and proposes a controversial hypothesis that the brain may provide a metabolic niche that mechanically reinforces cancer cells and promotes their secondary growth. We further identify gaps in the field that must be addressed to causally link these mechano-metabolic interactions.