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Desmoplasia: a response or a niche?
1Department of Pediatrics and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California and The Saban Research Institute of Children's Hospital Los Angeles, California 90027, USA. declerck@usc.edu
Cancer Discovery
|September 13, 2012
Summary
Desmoplasia, a tumor-associated stroma, may precede cancer development. This finding suggests CD36 gene regulation could offer new insights into breast cancer risk assessment.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Cancer Biology
- Tumor Microenvironment
Background:
- Desmoplasia, characterized by abundant stroma around tumors, is linked to poor cancer outcomes.
- It was traditionally viewed as a response to invasive tumor cells.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of CD36 in desmoplasia.
- To determine if desmoplasia can precede malignant cell presence.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of stromal cell changes and CD36 gene product activity.
- Examination of tumor-free human breast tissue for desmoplastic changes.
Main Results:
- CD36 gene product controls coordinated stromal cell changes, impacting fat accumulation and matrix deposition.
- Desmoplastic changes were observed in tumor-free breast tissue, suggesting they can precede malignancy.
Conclusions:
- Desmoplasia may precede cancer development, challenging the traditional view.
- Identifying desmoplasia in normal breast tissue, such as mammographic density, could indicate heightened breast carcinoma risk.
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