Novel Therapeutic Targets and Biomarkers Associated with Prostate Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts (CAFs).

Abstract

Despite advances in treatment, prostate cancer remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. While the vast majority of prostate cancer research has centered on malignant epithelial cells, the tumor mi croenvironment (TME) has recently become increasingly recognized as an important regulator of tumor progression and response to treatment. Among the diverse cell types within the TME, stromal fibroblasts, in particular cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), play an important role in prostate cancer progression. This is highlighted by the prognostic value of CAF markers in prostate cancer, which can predict disease recurrence, metastasis, and patient survival. There are also an increasing number of studies that demonstrate the critical role of CAFs in mediating response to specific therapies and CAF signaling pathways as potential therapeutic targets. However, further investigation into the mechanisms that underpin the interactions between cancer cells and CAFs are required to develop novel therapeutic approaches and identify predictive and prognostic biomarkers in CAFs. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge of CAF-dependent regulatory pathways in prostate tumorigenesis and their prognostic and therapeutic potential. Furthermore, we explore the emerging models and technologies that are likely to progress this field of research in terms of discovery and translation to the clinic.