Exosome-mediated cell–cell communication within pancreatic cancer tumor microenvironment: a narrative review

Abstract

The significance of exosomes has emerged in a variety of physiological processes and diseases. Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most lethal diseases at present. Recently, increasing evidence has suggested that exosomes are vital for mediating the elaborate interaction of highly heterogeneous cell clusters within the pancreatic tumor microenvironment, contributing to activating pancreatic stellate cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts, compromising immune cells, and enhancing angiogenesis. Besides their natural and intrinsic roles, exosomes may provide a novel potential way for pancreatic cancer management and therapy as well. Thus, exosomes not only mediate cellular communication during pancreatic cancer progression but also serve as a promising player in precise pancreatic cancer management and treatment. To comprehensively summarize the role of exosomes in pancreatic cancer, we searched the PubMed database and reviewed all relevant original studies.