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Updated: Jul 8, 2026

A Mouse Model to Investigate the Role of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Tumor Growth
Published on: December 22, 2020
The Metabolic States of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts: Targeting Stromal Reprogramming to Impede Tumor Progression
Zihang Yu1,2, Xuantang Lu2, Ruozheng Pi1,2
1Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 510515 Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Abstract:
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are key components of the tumor microenvironment that drive tumor growth, survival and therapeutic resistance. Although CAFs have long been viewed as a single stromal population, accumulating evidence indicates that they occupy diverse metabolic states shaped by local nutrients and tumor-derived signals. Recent studies across cancer types have described several recurring metabolic programs. In this review, we summarize five dominant CAF metabolic states as a functional, context-dependent framework: glycolytic, oxidative, fatty acid-oxidizing, lipid-rich, and amino acid-remodeling. These states reflect how CAFs adapt to local metabolic conditions. Collectively, CAF metabolic programs are linked to tumor support and immunosuppressive features, highlighting stromal metabolism as a potential therapeutic vulnerability.
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