Tumor-Stroma Interactions in Cancer Prognostics
Summary
Tumour progression is governed not only by malignant cells but also by the surrounding stroma, a complex network of fibroblasts, immune cells, extracellular matrix and vasculature collectively known as the tumour microenvironment. Bidirectional communication between cancer cells and stromal components modulates processes such as invasion, angiogenesis and immune evasion. In particular, activated carcinoma‐associated fibroblasts deposit and remodel extracellular matrix proteins, secrete growth factors and cytokines that sustain tumour cell survival, and influence the recruitment and phenotype of immune infiltrates. Quantitative measures of stromal content—for example the tumour–stroma ratio—have emerged as robust prognostic indicators across multiple solid tumours. Advances in spatial transcriptomics and computational pathology now enable the dissection of region‐specific stromal signals and the identification of molecular programmes that underlie divergent clinical outcomes. Collectively, these insights are refining risk stratification, guiding adjuvant treatment decisions and revealing novel stromal targets for therapeutic intervention.
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Tumor-Stroma Interactions in Cancer Prognostics publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in tumor-stroma interactions in cancer prognostics across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Tumour microenvironment: The cellular and acellular milieu surrounding cancer cells, including stromal fibroblasts, immune populations, blood vessels and extracellular matrix.
Tumour–stroma ratio (TSR): A histological measure of the proportion of stromal tissue relative to tumour cell area, used as a prognostic marker.
Spatial transcriptomics: A set of techniques that map gene expression to precise locations within histological tissue sections.
Carcinoma‐associated fibroblast (CAF): A fibroblast subtype activated by tumour‐derived signals, which promotes cancer progression through matrix remodelling and growth factor secretion.
Extracellular matrix (ECM): A network of proteins and polysaccharides that provides structural support to tissues and influences cell behaviour.
References
- JAK/STAT3 represents a therapeutic target for colorectal cancer patients with stromal-rich tumors. Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research (2024).
- Results from the UNITED study: a multicenter study validating the prognostic effect of the tumor–stroma ratio in colon cancer. ESMO Open (2024).
- Spatially Resolved Transcriptomics Deconvolutes Prognostic Histological Subgroups in Patients with Colorectal Cancer and Synchronous Liver Metastases. Cancer Research (2023).
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