Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts As a Common Orchestrator of Therapy Resistance in Lung and Pancreatic Cancer

Overview

Journal Cancers (Basel)

Publisher MDPI

Specialty Oncology

Date 2021 Mar 6

PMID 33673405

Citations 30

Authors

Andreas Domen

Delphine Quatannens

Sara Zanivan

Christophe Deben

Jonas Van Audenaerde

Evelien Smits

An Wouters

Filip Lardon

Geert Roeyen

Yannick Verhoeven

Annelies Janssens

Timon Vandamme

Peter van Dam

Marc Peeters

Hans Prenen

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Cancer arises from mutations accruing within cancer cells, but the tumor microenvironment (TME) is believed to be a major, often neglected, factor involved in therapy resistance and disease progression. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are prominent and key components of the TME in most types of solid tumors. Extensive research over the past decade revealed their ability to modulate cancer metastasis, angiogenesis, tumor mechanics, immunosuppression, and drug access through synthesis and remodeling of the extracellular matrix and production of growth factors. Thus, they are considered to impede the response to current clinical cancer therapies. Therefore, targeting CAFs to counteract these protumorigenic effects, and overcome the resistance to current therapeutic options, is an appealing and emerging strategy. In this review, we discuss how CAFs affect prognosis and response to clinical therapy and provide an overview of novel therapies involving CAF-targeting agents in lung and pancreatic cancer.

Citing Articles

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