Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a group of activated fibroblasts within the tumor microenvironment, categorized by their heterogeneity and plasticity. They are important parts of the microenvironment, actively shaping the tumor ecosystem by modulating cancer cell behavior and exerting influence on cancer progression, therapeutic response, and metastasis. Through paracrine signaling, extracellular matrix remodeling, and immune cell interactions, CAFs have profound effects on tumor initiation, progression, and treatment outcomes.
Recent evidence suggests that CAFs contribute to therapy resistance and disease recurrence, presenting significant challenges to the efficacy of conventional cancer therapies. Preclinical studies also suggest the potential that CAFs can be reduced, eliminated, or reprogrammed; however, clinical translation has not yet happened. Overall, current research on CAFs continues to face many challenges. Thus, a better understanding of the complexities of CAF biology is essential for the development of novel therapeutic strategies that can overcome these obstacles and improve patient outcomes.
In this context, this Collection on Cancer associated fibroblasts for BMC Cancer will showcase findings and insights in the field. We invite researchers to contribute their original research, reviews, and perspectives to this Collection, addressing the following topics:
- Functional diversity of CAFs
- CAFs and tumor progression
- Novel therapeutic strategies
- Clinical implications
- Role of CAFs in immune evasion
- Crosstalk between CAFs and cancer stem cells
- Contribution of CAF-derived exosomes to tumor progression
- Interactions between CAFs and the tumor vasculature
- Influence of CAFs on therapeutic response in preclinical models
- Identification of novel CAF-specific biomarkers
- Engineering CAF-targeting therapies for clinical application
Image credit: © Caleb Foster / Stock.adobe.com
