New highlights on stroma-epithelial interactions in breast cancer.
Although the stroma in which carcinomas arise has been previously regarded as a bystander to the clonal expansion and acquisition of malignant characteristics of tumor cells, it is now generally acknowledged that stromal changes are required for the establishment of cancer. In the present article, we discuss three recent publications that highlight the complex role the stroma has during the development of cancer and the potential for targeting the stroma by therapeutic approaches.
Barcellos-Hoff
Mary Helen
MH
Life Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA. mhbarcellos-hoff@lbl.gov
Medina
Daniel
D
D000818:Animals; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002450:Cell Communication; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000254:growth & development; D042361:Mammary Glands, Human / Q000254:growth & development; D051379:Mice; D015398:Signal Transduction; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000502:physiology
D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta