Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34489603›Full record

ReviewNature reviews. Clinical oncology2021

Clinical and therapeutic relevance of cancer-associated fibroblasts.

Yang Chen, Kathleen M McAndrews, Raghu Kalluri

Open access · greenAbstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Nature reviews. Clinical oncology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 766 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
766citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
79.9field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

766 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 1,220 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. SFRP2Molecular carcinogenesis · 2026
    Article
  6. Review
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  8. Review
  9. GLG1 in cancer-associated fibroblasts promotes bladder cancer growth while limiting tumor apoptosis.Apoptosis : an international journal on programmed cell death · 2026
    Article
  10. Review
  11. Article
  12. Article
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  14. Article
  15. Review
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  20. Review

706 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Yang ChenDepartment of Cancer Biology, Metastasis Research Center, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4441-5614
Kathleen M McAndrewsDepartment of Cancer Biology, Metastasis Research Center, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4092-4991
Raghu KalluriDepartment of Cancer Biology, Metastasis Research Center, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA. RKalluri@mdanderson.org.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2190-547X
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center · US

Funding

The RAS and P13K Pathways in Pancreatic AdenocarcinomaP01CA117969 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR · PI DEPINHO, RONALD ANTHONY · 2006 to 2025
$41.7M
NCI NIH HHS P01 CA117969
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) found in primary and metastatic tumours are highly versatile, plastic and resilient cells that are actively involved in cancer progression through complex interactions with other cell types in the tumour microenvironment. As well as generating extracellular matrix components that contribute to the structure and function of the tumour stroma, CAFs undergo epigenetic changes to produce secreted factors, exosomes and metabolites that influence tumour angiogenesis, immunology and metabolism. Because of their putative pro-oncogenic functions, CAFs have long been considered an attractive therapeutic target; however, clinical trials of treatment strategies targeting CAFs have mostly ended in failure and, in some cases, accelerated cancer progression and resulted in inferior survival outcomes. Importantly, CAFs are heterogeneous cells and their characteristics and interactions with other cell types might change dynamically as cancers evolve. Studies involving single-cell RNA sequencing and novel mouse models have increased our understanding of CAF diversity, although the context-dependent roles of different CAF populations and their interchangeable plasticity remain largely unknown. Comprehensive characterization of the tumour-promoting and tumour-restraining activities of CAF subtypes, including how these complex bimodal functions evolve and are subjugated by neoplastic cells during cancer progression, might facilitate the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. In this Review, the clinical relevance of CAFs is summarized with an emphasis on their value as prognosis factors and therapeutic targets.

Indexed as

Cancer-Associated FibroblastsEpigenesis, GeneticGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansNeoplasmsTumor Microenvironment

Identifiers

PMID34489603
PMCPMC8791784
OpenAlexW3198094729

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.