SynthesisFrontiers in oncology2020
Cancer-Associated Fibroblast Density, Prognostic Characteristics, and Recurrence in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Meta-Analysis.
Synthesis in Frontiers in oncology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 53 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
53 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 76 citations in OpenAlex.
- Loss of p53-DREAM-mediated repression of cell cycle genes as a driver of lymph node metastasis in head and neck cancer.Genome medicine · 2023Pooled it
- Cancer-associated fibroblasts, and clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of gastric cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in oncology · 2023Pooled it
- Cancer-associated fibroblasts: The silent conductors of tumor evolution and therapy refractoriness.Molecular biology reports · 2026Review
- Understanding nerve-tumor interactions: From basic biology to therapeutic innovation.Genes & diseases · 2026Review
- Pharmacological Targeting of Angiogenesis in Head and Neck Cancer: Molecular Mechanisms and Emerging Therapeutic Strategies.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Loss of Gαq reshapes fibroblast traits and drives tumor-stroma remodeling in oral cancer progression.EMBO reports · 2026Article
- Vitamin D remodels the tumor microenvironment to suppress gastric cancer progression through cancer-associated fibroblasts-secreted exosomal miR-378c targeting KDSR.Archives of pharmacal research · 2026Article
- PET Imaging in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: from Staging to Response Assessment.Current oncology reports · 2026Review
- CAF-derived exosomes: orchestrators of dysregulated signaling pathways in breast cancer progression.Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology · 2026Review
- Immune Checkpoint Blockade and Emerging Combination Platforms in Breast Cancer: A Narrative Review.Breast cancer (Dove Medical Press) · 2026Review
- AI-driven multi-omics integration of cancer-associated fibroblasts for prognostic modeling and therapeutic target discovery in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.NPJ precision oncology · 2025Article
- Review
- Molecular mechanisms and clinical significance of perineural invasion in malignancies: the pivotal role of tumor-associated Schwann cells in cancer progression and metastasis.Medical oncology (Northwood, London, England) · 2025Review
- Inflammation in Penile Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Comprehensive Review.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Comparison of the procoagulant activity between extracellular vesicles obtained from cellular monolayers and spheroids.Journal of thrombosis and thrombolysis · 2025Article
- Article
- Mapping immunotherapy potential: spatial transcriptomics in the unraveling of tumor-immune microenvironments in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.Frontiers in immunology · 2025Review
- p53: A player in the tumor microenvironment.Oncology research · 2025Review
- Use of a universal targeting CAR T cell to simultaneously kill cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts.Frontiers in immunology · 2025Article
- A bioengineered tumor matrix-based scaffold for the evaluation of melatonin efficacy on head and neck squamous cancer stem cells.Materials today. Bio · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionThe progression and clinical course of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) relies on complex interactions between cancer and stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Among the most abundant of these stromal cells are cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). While their contribution to tumor progression is widely acknowledged, and various CAF-targeted treatments are under development, the relationship between CAF density and the clinicopathologic course of HNSCC has not been clearly defined. Here we examine the published evidence investigating the relationship of cancer-associated fibroblasts to local recurrence and indicators of prognostic significance in HNSCC.
methodsWe conducted a meta-analysis of existing publications that compare the relationship between CAF density, local recurrence, and clinically significant pathologic criteria of disease development (T stage, nodal positivity, clinical stage, vascular invasion, perineural invasion, Ki67 expression, and differentiation). Thirteen studies met the selection criteria, providing a total study population of 926 patients. Forest plots and risk ratios were generated to illustrate overall relationships.
resultsHigher CAF density within the tumor microenvironment is associated with advanced T stage, nodal infiltration, clinical stage, vascular invasion, perineural invasion, Ki67 expression, and differentiation (p <0.05). High CAF density is also associated with increased rates of local recurrence (p <0.001).
conclusionsAcross multiple studies, increased CAF density is correlated with histopathological criteria of poor prognosis in HNSCC. These findings highlight that CAFs may play a pivotal role in HNSCC development and progression. Staining for CAFs may represent a valuable addition to current pathologic analysis and help to guide prognosis and treatment. Understanding the mechanisms by which CAFs reciprocally interact with cancer cells will be crucial for optimization of TME-focused treatment of HNSCC.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.