Work

Harnessing the power of cancer-associated fibroblasts to revolutionize pancreatic cancer treatment

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a highly aggressive cancer characterized by a unique tumor microenvironment (TME) that confers resistance to traditional therapies. As the dominant stromal cells in the TME, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) promote PC progression by modulating the extracellular matrix and interacting with surrounding cells. Numerous PC treatment strategies targeting CAFs have been explored in the past decade. However, targeting different subtypes of CAFs leads to varying therapeutic outcomes, highlighting the intricate and multifaceted nature of CAFs. The heterogeneity and dynamism of CAFs increase the complexity and challenges associated with tumor therapeutics. Currently, combination therapies incorporating CAF-targeted approaches in PC treatment have shown encouraging outcomes in select clinical trials. A comprehensive understanding of CAFs is essential for developing individualized therapeutic approaches. This review outlines the current knowledge of CAF heterogeneity, crosstalk with surrounding cells, and strategies for targeting CAFs in PC, aiming to keep researchers and clinicians up-to-date with the latest information on CAFs in PC.

Source: Cancer Biology and Medicine

DOI: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2025.0288

Authors: Jian Shen, Ruopu Wu, Tao Yin, Qun Wang, Lei Nie

Institutions: Hubei Cancer Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Tianjin Medical University

Language: English

Topic: Pancreatic and Hepatic Oncology Research

Subfield: Oncology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,500