{"entity":{"id":"cancer-associated-fibroblasts","kind":"term","name":"Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs)","aka":[],"tldr":"The scaffolding cells that tumours recruit to build scar-like tissue around themselves. They feed the cancer, block drugs and immune cells, and carry the FAP protein that PET scans can now see.","summary":"Heterogeneous (myCAF, iCAF, apCAF); sources include resident fibroblasts, stellate cells, and mesenchymal stem cells. Secrete TGF-β, IL-6, CXCL12; deposit ECM. Depletion experiments show both pro- and anti-tumour roles, so targeting is moving toward reprogramming (vitamin D receptor agonists) and FAP-directed theranostics.","asOf":"2026-09-08","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer-associated_fibroblast","links":[{"label":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer-associated_fibroblast"}],"tags":[],"related":[],"cancers":[],"sections":[],"technologies":["fapi-pet","radioligand-therapy"],"targets":["fap"],"drugs":[],"companies":[],"institutions":[],"pathways":["tumor-microenvironment","tgf-beta"],"terms":["desmoplasia"],"trials":[],"people":[],"bottlenecks":[],"keyPapers":[],"journals":[],"dependsOn":[],"notes":[],"category":"Cancer biology"},"route":"/terms/cancer-associated-fibroblasts/","neighbours":{"technology":[{"id":"fapi-pet","kind":"technology","name":"FAPI PET","route":"/technologies/fapi-pet/"},{"id":"radioligand-therapy","kind":"technology","name":"Radioligand therapy (beta emitters)","route":"/technologies/radioligand-therapy/"}],"target":[{"id":"fap","kind":"target","name":"FAP","route":"/targets/fap/"}],"pathway":[{"id":"caf-activation-desmoplasia","kind":"pathway","name":"Fibroblast activation, desmoplasia & matrix stiffness","route":"/pathways/caf-activation-desmoplasia/"},{"id":"invasion-ecm-degradation","kind":"pathway","name":"Invasion: proteases, adhesion & the invasive front","route":"/pathways/invasion-ecm-degradation/"},{"id":"tgf-beta","kind":"pathway","name":"TGF-β signalling","route":"/pathways/tgf-beta/"},{"id":"tumor-microenvironment","kind":"pathway","name":"Tumour microenvironment (TME)","route":"/pathways/tumor-microenvironment/"}],"term":[{"id":"desmoplasia","kind":"term","name":"Desmoplasia (tumour stroma)","route":"/terms/desmoplasia/"},{"id":"mechanical-theory-of-cancer","kind":"term","name":"Mechanical theory: stiffness, pressure and force as causes","route":"/terms/mechanical-theory-of-cancer/"},{"id":"microenvironment-inflammation-theory","kind":"term","name":"Microenvironment and inflammation: tumours as wounds that do not heal","route":"/terms/microenvironment-inflammation-theory/"},{"id":"tissue-organisation-field-theory","kind":"term","name":"Tissue organisation field theory (Sonnenschein and Soto)","route":"/terms/tissue-organisation-field-theory/"}],"paper":[{"id":"paper-ozdemir-caf-depletion-accelerates-pancreatic-cancer-cancer-cell-2014","kind":"paper","name":"Depletion of carcinoma-associated fibroblasts and fibrosis induces immunosuppression and accelerates pancreas cancer with reduced survival","route":"/key-papers/paper-ozdemir-caf-depletion-accelerates-pancreatic-cancer-cancer-cell-2014/"},{"id":"paper-quail-joyce-microenvironment-metastasis-natmed-2013","kind":"paper","name":"Quail and Joyce 2013: microenvironmental regulation of tumour progression and metastasis","route":"/key-papers/paper-quail-joyce-microenvironment-metastasis-natmed-2013/"},{"id":"paper-moffitt-virtual-microdissection-subtypes-nat-genet-2015","kind":"paper","name":"Virtual microdissection identifies distinct tumor- and stroma-specific subtypes of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma","route":"/key-papers/paper-moffitt-virtual-microdissection-subtypes-nat-genet-2015/"}],"roadmap":[{"id":"pancreatic-roadmap","kind":"roadmap","name":"Pancreatic cancer roadmap: from Whipple's operation to gemcitabine, FOLFIRINOX, adjuvant chemotherapy, PARP inhibition, KRAS inhibition, vaccines and the surveillance question","route":"/roadmaps/pancreatic-roadmap/"}],"idea":[{"id":"idea-pdac-stromal-reprogramming-not-depletion","kind":"idea","name":"Reprogramme the stroma rather than remove it: second-generation stromal trials with a stromal biomarker and a survival endpoint","route":"/ideas/idea-pdac-stromal-reprogramming-not-depletion/"}]}}