Abstract
The implications of a tumor microenvironment in cancer initiation and progression have drawn interest in recent years. Within the tumor stroma, fibroblasts represent a predominant cell type and are responsible for the majority of extracellular components within the tumor microenvironment, such as matrix and soluble factors. A switch from quiescent fibroblasts to cancer-associated fibroblasts triggers a large variety of pro-tumorigenic signals that support tumor progression and shape the surrounding pathological stroma, with the remodeling of tissue architecture and repression of the local immune response. The heterogeneous nature of cancer-associated fibroblasts and their multiple functions are subject of active research as they could represent promising targets for cutting-edge therapeutic approaches to cancer and the tumor microenvironment.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 15-29 |
Number of pages | 15 |
Journal | Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology |
Volume | 1234 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2020 |
Keywords
- Cancer treatment
- Cancer-associated fibroblasts
- Cancer-stroma crosstalk
- Chemoresistance
- Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition
- Extracellular matrix remodeling
- Immunosuppression
- Pro-tumorigenic cytokines
- Targeted therapy
- Tumor microenvironment
- Tumor neoangiogenesis
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)