Deconstructing tumor heterogeneity: the stromal perspective.

Vickman RE, Faget DV, Beachy P, Beebe D, Bhowmick NA, Cukierman E, Deng WM, Granneman JG, Hildesheim J, Kalluri R, Lau KS, Lengyel E, Lundeberg J, Moscat J, Nelson PS, Pietras K, Politi K, Puré E, Scherz-Shouval R, Sherman MH, Tuveson D, Weeraratna AT, White RM, Wong MH, Woodhouse EC, Zheng Y, Hayward SW, Stewart SA

Oncotarget 11 (40) 3621-3632 [2020-10-06; online 2020-10-06]

Significant advances have been made towards understanding the role of immune cell-tumor interplay in either suppressing or promoting tumor growth, progression, and recurrence, however, the roles of additional stromal elements, cell types and/or cell states remain ill-defined. The overarching goal of this NCI-sponsored workshop was to highlight and integrate the critical functions of non-immune stromal components in regulating tumor heterogeneity and its impact on tumor initiation, progression, and resistance to therapy. The workshop explored the opposing roles of tumor supportive versus suppressive stroma and how cellular composition and function may be altered during disease progression. It also highlighted microenvironment-centered mechanisms dictating indolence or aggressiveness of early lesions and how spatial geography impacts stromal attributes and function. The prognostic and therapeutic implications as well as potential vulnerabilities within the heterogeneous tumor microenvironment were also discussed. These broad topics were included in this workshop as an effort to identify current challenges and knowledge gaps in the field.

PubMed 33088423

DOI 10.18632/oncotarget.27736

Crossref 10.18632/oncotarget.27736

pmc: PMC7546755
pii: 27736


Publications 9.5.1