Fibroblasts and Growth Factors in Cancer

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Tumor Microenvironment".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 320

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Anatomy and Department of Dermatovenereology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, 128 08 Prague, Czech Republic
Interests: skin cancer; epithelium; microenvironment; therapy; fibroblast; IL-6; inflammation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
A*STAR Skin Research Labs (A*SRL)—Biopolis, 8A Biomedical Grove #06-06 Immunos Singapore, Singapore 138665, Singapore
Interests: skin cancer; tumor microenvironment; wound healing; cancer-associated fibroblasts; chronic wounds

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Harold F. Dvorak and his colleagues were the first to demonstrate that tumour cells can trigger angiogenesis via the production of paracrine factors in 1983. The subsequent body of research supports this now popular view of tumours as “wounds that do not heal” where growth factors from wound healing were implicated. Unlike regular wounds, tumours are unable to turn off the production of these bioactive factors in a timely manner. However, the link between impaired healing and cancer can be traced further back to English surgeon C. H. Hawkins, who described cases of skin cancer developing into burn scars in 1833.

The tissue microenvironment (TME) has emerged as a critical factor in malignant cell growth. TME is a multifaceted regulatory network that maintains homeostasis in organs. While the cellular and acellular TME components are critical in resisting malignant cell growth, they can be hijacked by tumour cells to regulate cancer-related signalling pathways in cancer initiation and progression.

Activated fibroblasts are a key component of the TME with diverse functions, including matrix deposition, remodelling and extensive reciprocal signalling interactions with, e.g., epithelial cells and also infiltrating immune cells. Orchestration of all these functions is critical for effective healing. In contrast, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) found in the tumour microenvironment use the same mechanisms in a deregulated manner to support tumour growth.

There has been immense progress in clinical oncology in the last decade based on principles based on targeting TME (such as antiangiogenic therapy and immunotherapy, which are now routinely used in clinics. Nevertheless, therapeutical failures due to, e.g., acquired resistance, are also frequent.

More novel therapeutic options are needed for cancer. Understanding the complex interplay between fibroblasts, growth factors, and cancer cells is critical for the development of novel therapeutic strategies that can target these key components of the tumour microenvironment. Ultimately, a better understanding of the roles of fibroblasts and growth factors in cancer may lead to the development of more effective and targeted therapies for this devastating disease.

This Special Issue aims to highlight the current state of the art in cancer fibroblast biology. We wish to provide a platform for advancing our understanding of this critical cell type within the tumour microenvironment with a focus on research that will improve our ability to develop effective therapies against cancer.

Dr. Lukas Lacina
Dr. Yi Zhen Ng
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cancers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • microenvironment
  • cancer-associated fibroblast
  • cancer
  • paracrine
  • tumour
  • healing
  • cytokine
  • receptor
  • therapy

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers

There is no accepted submissions to this special issue at this moment.
Back to TopTop