The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase is hyperactivated in various human cancers, but the specific mRNA targets of this translational regulator are poorly characterized. To investigate the mTOR translational landscape, Hsieh et al. carried out ribosomal profiling (high-throughput sequencing of ribosome-bound mRNAs) from an mTOR-hyperactivated prostate cancer cell line in the presence or absence of multiple mTOR inhibitors. The authors identified targets in cancer-relevant processes, including proliferation and invasion. They also developed a new class of mTOR inhibitor that effectively restricted the translation of invasion genes and controlled tumour invasion in mice.