The present invention relates to a method of inducing cancer cells into dormancy and treating cancer in a subject. This method involves administering to a subject an effective amount of a compound that disrupts interaction between urokinase plasminogen activator receptor and integrin, thereby including cancer cells into dormancy and treating cancer in the subject. Also disclosed is a method of disrupting interaction between integrin and urokinase plasminogen activator receptor on cancer cells. The present invention also relates to a method of screening for compounds effective in inducing tumor dormancy and treating cancer in a subject.