Abstract:

The occurrence and development of cervical cancer is a dynamic process of mutual promotion and co-evolution of tumor cells and their surrounding microenvironment. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), as the main cellular components in the tumor microenvironment (TME), which originate from different cells with diverse sources and functional heterogeneity. CAFs from different sources have different molecular markers. CAFs are involved in key processes such as cervical cancer cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis, and they are an important factor in promoting tumor angiogenesis. CAFs make the TME in an immunosuppressive state through various mechanisms and promote the immune escape of tumor cells. At the same time, CAFs are closely related to the metabolic reprogramming and clinical prognosis of cervical cancer. In recent years, with the in-depth research on CAFs and the mechanism of CAFs-mediated cervical cancer progression, some preliminary clues and evidences have been provided for the targeted therapy of CAFs. This article reviews the characteristics and sources of CAFs, their role in the occurrence and development of cervical cancer, as well as the current status of targeted CAFs therapy. These contents are expected to provide new ideas for the treatment of cervical cancer.

Key words: Uterine cervical neoplasms, Fibroblasts, Tumor microenvironment, Papillomaviridae, Therapy, Cancer-associated fibroblasts