Research Advances on Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Tumor Prevention and Treatment

The occurrence and development of solid tumors rely on the autonomous drive of tumor cells and the crosstalk of the tumor microenvironment (TME). As a crucial component of the TME, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the center of the cross-communication among various cells in the tumor stroma and participate in tumorigenesis, progression, invasion, and migration. Hence, targeting CAF subpopulations or their functional pathways might offer a new breakthrough for tumor prevention and treatment. However, the concurrent tumor-promoting and tumor-suppressive functions of CAFs pose an impediment to this breakthrough. By summarizing CAFs role in tumor occurrence and progression, this review proposes the application of CAFs in tumor prevention and treatment and discusses their potential and value as a therapeutic target.