Cancers, Vol. 16, Pages 1727: The Tumor Stroma of Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Complex Environment That Fuels Cancer Progression

Cancers, Vol. 16, Pages 1727: The Tumor Stroma of Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Complex Environment That Fuels Cancer Progression Cancers doi: 10.3390/cancers16091727 Authors: Alexandra Buruiană Bogdan-Alexandru Gheban Ioana-Andreea Gheban-Roșca Carmen Georgiu Doința Crișan Maria Crișan The tumor microenvironment (TME), a complex assembly of cellular and extracellular matrix (ECM) components, plays a crucial role in driving tumor progression, shaping treatment responses, and influencing metastasis. This narrative review focuses on the cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) tumor stroma, highlighting its key constituents and their dynamic contributions. We examine how significant changes within the cSCC ECM—specifically, alterations in fibronectin, hyaluronic acid, laminins, proteoglycans, and collagens—promote cancer progression, metastasis, and drug resistance. The cellular composition of the cSCC TME is also explored, detailing the intricate interplay of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), endothelial cells, pericytes, adipocytes, and various immune cell populations. These diverse players modulate tumor development, angiogenesis, and immune responses. Finally, we emphasize the TME’s potential as a therapeutic target. Emerging strategies discussed in this review include harnessing the immune system (adoptive cell transfer, checkpoint blockade), hindering tumor angiogenesis, disru...
Source: Cancers - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Tags: Review Source Type: research