Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts: Mechanisms of Tumor Progression and Novel Therapeutic Targets 2.0

Dear Colleagues, 

This collection is the second edition of “Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts: Mechanisms of Tumor Progression and Novel Therapeutic Targets” (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers/special_issues/Cancer-Associated_Fibroblasts): 

The tumor stroma consists of a diversity of cellular subpopulations, embedded in a complex and dynamic matrix that facilitates crosstalk between the infiltrating cell types and the malignant cohort. Each of these microenvironmental participants is now recognized as playing a critical role in tumor progression and metastasis. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) represent the predominant type of infiltrating cell in the tumor mass. Due to their diverse origins, CAFs are unique and important elements of the expanding proinflammatory tumor stroma, with various functions that collectively promote tumor aggressiveness and are biomarkers of poor patient outcomes. Among the repertoire of pro-tumorigenic traits elaborated by CAFs, some of the most crucial ones are those that promote (1) inflammation and chemoresistance, (2) angiogenesis and stromal remodeling, (3) maintenance of a cancer stem-like cell phenotype, (4) EMT or plasticity in the malignant cell population, and (5) continued tumor expansion and distal site metastases. These may be attributable to the direct effects of CAFs on the tumor cells themselves, their own respective sites of origin, or by interactions with other stromal resident elements. This Special Issue is devoted to clarifying the contributions of CAFs to tumor maintenance and progression as well as their role in establishing the desmoplastic microenvironment, chemoresistance, and cancer metastasis. Papers that focus on the involved mechanisms and innovative approaches to target CAFs and their respective therapeutic functions  are particularly welcome.

Dr. Paul J. Higgins
Dr. Ralf-Peter Czekay
Guest Editors

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• CAFs
• tumor stroma
• cell crosstalk
• tumor microenvironment
• CAFs and targeted therapy
• desmoplastic tumors
• ECM remodeling
• tumor progression
• chemoresistance
• CAFs as a prognostic indicator