Fibroblasts in cancer dormancy: foe or friend?

Abstract

Cancer dormancy is defined that the residual cancer cells could enter into a state of quiescence and patients remain asymptomatic for years or even decades after anti-tumor therapies. Fibroblasts, which represent a predominant cell type in tumor microenvironment, play a pivotal role in determining the ultimate fate of tumor cells. This review recapitulates the pleiotropic roles of fibroblasts which are divided into normal, senescent, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and circulation CAFs in tumor dormancy, relapse, metastasis and resistance to therapy to help the treatment of cancer metastasis.

• Authors: Li Dai, Mao Li, Wei-Long Zhang, Ya-Jie Tang, Ya-Ling Tang, Xin-Hua Liang
• Journal: Cancer cell international (Cancer Cell Int) Vol. 21 Issue 1 Pg. 184 (Mar 26 2021) ISSN: 1475-2867 [Print] England
• PMID: 33771156 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)