Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Positively Correlate with Dedifferentiation and Aggressiveness of Thyroid Cancer

• DOI: 10.2147/ott.s294725
• Publication Date: 2021-02-21T20:32:07Z
• Authors: Shishuai Wen; Ning Qu; Ben Ma; Xiao Wang; Yi Luo; Weibo Xu; Hongyi Jiang; Yan Zhang; Yu Wang; Qinghai Ji
• Keywords: Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts; Anaplastic thyroid cancer; Lenvatinib

Background and Objectives: Targeting cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) is being explored as an approach to improve cancer therapies. The roles of CAF remain unclarified in malignant transformation papillary thyroid (PTC) into dedifferentiated (DDTC). This study aimed investigate correlations with dedifferentiation clinicopathological characteristics cancer. Materials Methods: We applied three different mRNA-based gene signatures quantify our cohort, the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) cohort Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) analyzed expression α-SMA by immunohistochemistry score was for its associations characteristics, genetic mutations, tumor-associated signaling pathways immune landscape. Results: increased significantly DDTCs compared normal tissues PTCs, α-SMA-positive CAFs were found enriched DDTCs. high showed a significant correlation anaplastic phenotype DDTC low differentiation PTC. Patients remarkably risk aggressive outcomes both Furthermore, positively correlated oncogenic pathways, tumor microenvironment (TME) target markers. Conclusion: Our findings suggest correlate cancer, targeting therapeutic may benefit patients. Keywords: CAF, dedifferentiation, DDTC, PTC