Work

CAFs and Endocrine Therapy Resistance in Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The development of endocrine resistance represents a major obstacle when treating hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. The tumor microenvironment (TME), represented by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in this context, has recently been proposed as a key mediator significantly contributing to resistance against currently available endocrine therapies. The exact mechanisms behind this interaction are not fully understood; specific breast CAF subtypes have been linked to it, such as CAFs lacking the expression of the glycoprotein CD146 or maintaining the expression of CD63. Other proposed mechanisms include signaling pathways aberrantly activated in CAFs, epigenetic modifications mainly in the form of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs), and paracrine signaling, all limiting endocrine modulation effectiveness. Strategies aiming to simultaneously target CAFs and endocrine signaling in luminal breast cancer are currently being developed. Fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) targeting in combination with endocrine inhibition has already entered the clinical trial landscape. However, CAFs are a highly diverse and heterogeneous cell population, making their targeting complex and difficult to implement in clinical practice.

Source: International Journal of Molecular Sciences

DOI: 10.3390/ijms27104633

Authors: Amalia A. Sofianidi, Vaia K. Stafyla, Flora Zagouri

Institutions: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaeio Hospital

Language: English

Topic: Breast Cancer Treatment Studies

Subfield: Cancer Research

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,499