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Review
. 2021 Feb;87(2):147-158.
doi: 10.1007/s00280-020-04222-w. Epub 2021 Jan 9.

Tumor microenvironment promotes breast cancer chemoresistance

Umar Mehraj  1 , Abid Hamid Dar  2 , Nissar A Wani  2 , Manzoor A Mir  3
Affiliations
Review

Tumor microenvironment promotes breast cancer chemoresistance

Umar Mehraj et al. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2021 Feb.

Abstract

Breast cancer is presently the most predominant tumor type and the second leading cause of tumor-related deaths among women. Although advancements in diagnosis and therapeutics have momentously improved, chemoresistance remains an important challenge. Tumors oppose chemotherapeutic agents through a variety of mechanisms, with studies revealing that the tumor microenvironment (TME) is central to this process. The components of TME including stromal cells, immune cells, and non-stromal factors on exposure to chemotherapy promote the acquisition of resistant phenotype. Consequently, limited targeting of tumor cells leads to tumor recurrence after chemotherapy. Here, in this article, we summarize how TME alters chemotherapy responses in breast cancer. Furthermore, the role of different stromal cells viz., CAFs, TAMs, MSCs, endothelial cells, and cancer stem cells (CSC) in breast cancer chemoresistance is discussed in greater detail.

Keywords: Breast cancer; CAFs; Chemoresistance; Mesenchymal cells; TAMs; Tumor microenvironment.

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