Determinants and Functions of CAFs Secretome During Cancer Progression and Therapy

Multiple lines of evidence are indicating that cancer development and malignant progression are not exclusively epithelial cancer cell-autonomous processes but may also depend on crosstalk with the surrounding tumor microenvironment (TME). Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are abundantly represented in the TME and are continuously interacting with cancer cells. CAFs are regulating key mechanisms during progression to metastasis and response to treatment by enhancing cancer cells survival and aggressiveness. The latest advances in CAFs biology are pointing to CAFs-secreted factors as druggable targets and companion tools for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Especially, extensive research conducted in the recent years has underscored the potential of several cytokines as actionable biomarkers that are currently evaluated in the clinical setting. In this review, we explore the current understanding of CAFs secretome determinants and functions to discuss their clinical implication in oncology.

Automated summary

Multiple lines of evidence suggest that cancer development and malignant progression are influenced not only by cancer cell-autonomous processes but also by interactions with the tumor microenvironment, particularly through cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) that regulate key mechanisms during metastasis and treatment response. Recent advances in CAFs biology highlight the potential of CAFs-secreted factors as druggable targets and biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and prognosis, paving the way for further research and clinical applications.