Hampering Stromal Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment as a Therapeutic Strategy to Destem Cancer Stem Cells
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 30, 2025

A Novel Stromal Fibroblast-Modulated 3D Tumor Spheroid Model for Studying Tumor-Stroma Interaction and Drug Discovery
Published on: February 28, 2020
Katherine Po Sin Chung1, Rainbow Wing Hei Leung1, Terence Kin Wah Lee1,2
1Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
Abstract:
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) within the tumor bulk play crucial roles in tumor initiation, recurrence and therapeutic resistance. In addition to intrinsic regulation, a growing body of evidence suggests that the phenotypes of CSCs are also regulated extrinsically by stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Here, we discuss the current knowledge of the interplay between stromal cells and cancer cells with a special focus on how stromal cells drive the stemness of cancer cells and immune evasive mechanisms of CSCs. Knowledge gained from the interaction between CSCs and stromal cells will provide a mechanistic basis for the development of novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of cancers.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Maintenance
Cancer stem cells are thought to originate from tissue-specific normal stem cells or progenitor cells. The normal stem cells usually reside in...
Drugs that Stabilize Microtubules
Drugs that Destabilize Microtubules
The Tumor Microenvironment
Stem Cell Therapy for Tissue Regeneration
Types of Stem Cells used in Stem Cell Therapy
The two main cell...
Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against...

