The extracellular matrix in cancer!
The extracellular matrix has dual roles in cancer, both restraining and promoting progression, necessitating targeted normalization rather than complete ablation.
Matrix-targeting therapeutics face challenges including determining optimal intervention timing, establishing specific targets, and optimizing combinations with standard-of-care treatments.
Understanding spatial matrix heterogeneity and its interactions with immune cells is critical for improving immunotherapy responses in matrix-rich cancers, such as pancreatic cancer.
Integration of multiple technologies and development of physiologically relevant 3D models are essential to advance matrix research and translate findings to clinical applications.
Matrix components in circulation represent promising biomarker candidates for early detection, disease monitoring, and treatment response assessment.
https://www.cell.com/trends/cancer/fulltext/S2405-8033(25)00126-8
