Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40171226›Full record

ReviewFrontiers in cell and developmental biology2025

The mechanopathology of the tumor microenvironment: detection techniques, molecular mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities.

Stella Angeli, Constantina Neophytou, Maria Kalli, Triantafyllos Stylianopoulos, Fotios Mpekris

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Frontiers in cell and developmental biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
20citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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

20 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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  10. Enhancing nanomedicine efficacy in KPC pancreatic tumors through ketotifen-mediated tumor microenvironment remodeling.Journal of controlled release : official journal of the Controlled Release Society · 2026
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  19. Recent Advances in Anti-Cancer Drugs.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025
    Article
  20. Sonopermeation combined with stroma normalization enables complete cure using nano-immunotherapy in murine breast tumors.Journal of controlled release : official journal of the Controlled Release Society · 2025
    Article
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

5 authors.

Stella AngeliCancer Biophysics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus.
Constantina NeophytouCancer Biophysics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus.
Maria KalliCancer Biophysics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus.
Triantafyllos StylianopoulosCancer Biophysics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus.
Fotios MpekrisCancer Biophysics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The mechanical properties of the tumor microenvironment (TME) undergo significant changes during tumor growth, primarily driven by alterations in extracellular (ECM) stiffness and tumor viscoelasticity. These mechanical changes not only promote tumor progression but also hinder therapeutic efficacy by impairing drug delivery and activating mechanotransduction pathways that regulate crucial cellular processes such as migration, proliferation, and resistance to therapy. In this review, we examine the mechanisms through which tumor cells sense and transmit mechanical signals to maintain homeostasis in the biomechanically altered TME. We explore current computational modelling strategies for mechanotransduction pathways, highlighting the need for developing models that incorporate additional components of the mechanosignaling machinery. Furthermore, we review available methods for measuring the mechanical properties of tumors in clinical settings and strategies aiming at restoring the TME and blocking deregulated mechanotransduction pathways. Finally, we propose that proper characterization and a deeper understanding of the mechanical landscape of the TME, both at the tissue and cellular levels, are essential for developing therapeutic strategies that account for the influence of mechanical forces on treatment efficacy.

Indexed as

cellular mechanotransductioncomputational modellingmechanical forcesmechanopathologytissue stiffnesstumor microenvironment

Identifiers

PMID40171226
PMCPMC11958720

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.