Cancer-associated Fibroblasts in Hematologic Malignancies: Elucidating Roles and Spotlighting Therapeutic Targets

Overview

Journal Front Oncol

Specialty Oncology

Date 2023 Sep 25

PMID 37746306

Authors

Ziyang Ding

Run Shi

Weikang Hu

Lei Tian

Rong Sun

Yang Wu

Xiaoyan Zhang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Hematologic malignancies comprise a diverse range of blood, bone marrow, and organ-related disorders that present significant challenges due to drug resistance, relapse, and treatment failure. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) represent a critical component of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and have recently emerged as potential therapeutic targets. In this comprehensive review, we summarize the latest findings on the roles of CAFs in various hematologic malignancies, including acute leukemia, multiple myeloma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, myeloproliferative neoplasms, and lymphoma. We also explore their involvement in tumor progression, drug resistance, and the various signaling pathways implicated in their activation and function. While the underlying mechanisms and the existence of multiple CAF subtypes pose challenges, targeting CAFs and their associated pathways offers a promising avenue for the development of innovative treatments to improve patient outcomes in hematologic malignancies.

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