Three subtypes of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) could guide the design of personalized treatment for lung cancer patients, according to a new study in Cancer Cell led by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH).
Solid tumors like non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) contain at least three major cellular components: cancer cells, immune cells and CAFs (which produce a tumor’s cellular matrix and secrete signaling molecules). Current personalized cancer treatment approaches predominantly focus on targeting the cancer cells (e.g., oncogene-specific inhibitors) and the immune context (e.g., immune checkpoint blockade) of a tumor. And it had been unclear whether CAFs could be leveraged for designing more personalized treatment.
