Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40640495›Full record

ArticleBritish journal of cancer2025

Cancer-associated fibroblasts are associated with neo-adjuvant treatment response in oesophageal adenocarcinoma.

Robert C Walker, Stella P Breininger, Benjamin P Sharpe, Jack Harrington, Ian Reddin, Carmen Tse, Rushda Rajak, Annette Hayden, Saqib Rahman, Ben Grace and 7 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in British journal of cancer, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on [European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
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

17 authors.

Robert C Walker *School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Stella P Breininger *School of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Benjamin P SharpeSchool of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Jack HarringtonSchool of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Ian ReddinSchool of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Carmen TseSchool of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Rushda RajakDepartment of Pathology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
Annette HaydenSchool of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Saqib RahmanSchool of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Ben GraceSchool of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Fereshteh IzadiSchool of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Jonathan WestSchool of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
OCCAMs Consortium
Maria SecrierUCL Genetics Institute, University College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2758-1741
Zoë S WaltersSchool of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Matthew J J Rose-ZerilliSchool of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK. mjrz@soton.ac.uk.
Timothy J UnderwoodSchool of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK. tju@soton.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9455-2188

Funding

Cancer Research UK (CRUK) A23924Cancer Research UK (CRUK) A25162
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNeoadjuvant treatment (NAT) in oesophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is characterised by differential responses between patients and treatment modalities. The components of the tumour microenvironment (TME) that contribute to this are unknown. We explored this, focusing on cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) an abundant TME component.

methodsWe performed histopathologic, single-cell RNA sequencing and transcriptomic analysis on 26 patients, stratified by pathological response to NAT, and validated a prognostic model in genomic consortia cohorts. Patient-derived cells were used to model CAF phenotypes in vitro.

resultsWe observed changes in the TME in response to the NAT received. Specific changes in fibroblasts correlated with treatment response and altered gene expression associated with NAT type. Three myofibroblastic phenotypes dominate the TME, two of which persist in non-responders and could only be partially re-capitulated in vitro using co-culture with cancer cells or TGF-β. A two-gene NAT fibrotic signature was an independent prognostic indicator in chemo/chemoradiotherapy treated patients (HR = 2.47, p = 0.029).

conclusionsThis study provides a compendium of cell phenotypes in EAC across the current NAT treatment pathway that provides insights into CAF biology and cancer progression. MyoCAFs represent an axis to repurpose agents to enhance current therapies and immunotherapy.

Indexed as

AdenocarcinomaCancer-Associated FibroblastsEsophageal NeoplasmsNeoadjuvant TherapyAgedFemaleGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisTranscriptomeTumor Microenvironment

Identifiers

PMID40640495
PMCPMC12405553

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Registered trials

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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.