About this Research Topic
Pancreatic cancer, comprising mostly pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), is one of the five most lethal malignancies worldwide and the survival has not improved substantially in the past 30 years. Abundant desmoplastic stroma and inflammation are typical histopathological hallmarks of PDAC and constitute the unique tumour microenvironment (TME) in PDAC, which is presented in both primary and metastatic tumours. Specifically, the TME is mainly composed of fibroblasts, endothelial cells, nerve cells, immune cells, and a large amount of extracellular matrix (ECM). Previously, it was thought that a physical barrier formed by dense desmoplastic stroma around the tumour cells restricted the development of tumours. Currently, increasing evidence indicates that the remodeled stroma-rich and immunosuppressive TME in PDAC promote tumour formation and progression by modulating the biology of cancer cells. In addition, cancer cells hijack such physical barriers to create a favorable nest for its radio-chemotherapy resistance. Thus, targeting various stromal components and pathways in the microenvironment may serve as a promising strategy for the treatment of PDAC.
Despite the deepening understanding of the biological behavior of pancreatic cancer and the continuous optimization of treatment options, traditional therapeutic strategies targeting tumour cells are still not satisfactory. Considering that the cancer cells and their surrounding tumour microenvironment form a unified biologic system, exploiting the unique features within the PDAC microenvironment and uncovering the veil of the interaction between tumor and microenvironment are very critical for future therapeutic strategy development and clinical trial design. For this Research Topic, we welcome submissions of Original Research and Review articles focusing on but not limited to the following aspects:
- Cancer-associated fibroblasts in pancreatic cancer
- Extracellular matrix proteins in pancreatic cancer
- Perineural invasion in pancreatic cancer
- Cancer stem cells in pancreatic cancer
- Roles of Inflammatory cells in pancreatic cancer development and progression
- Tumor microenvironment and radiochemotherapy resistance in pancreatic cancer
- Tumor microenvironment and immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer
Despite the deepening understanding of the biological behavior of pancreatic cancer and the continuous optimization of treatment options, traditional therapeutic strategies targeting tumour cells are still not satisfactory. Considering that the cancer cells and their surrounding tumour microenvironment form a unified biologic system, exploiting the unique features within the PDAC microenvironment and uncovering the veil of the interaction between tumor and microenvironment are very critical for future therapeutic strategy development and clinical trial design. For this Research Topic, we welcome submissions of Original Research and Review articles focusing on but not limited to the following aspects:
- Cancer-associated fibroblasts in pancreatic cancer
- Extracellular matrix proteins in pancreatic cancer
- Perineural invasion in pancreatic cancer
- Cancer stem cells in pancreatic cancer
- Roles of Inflammatory cells in pancreatic cancer development and progression
- Tumor microenvironment and radiochemotherapy resistance in pancreatic cancer
- Tumor microenvironment and immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer
Keywords: Pancreatic Cancer, Tumor Microenvironment, Desmoplastic Reaction, Immunosuppressive, Radio-chemotherapy Resistance
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