Role of cancer-associated fibroblast-derived exosomes in pancreatic cancer: clinical therapeutic potential and targeting challenges
Hong W.
Narrative Review, published in Front Immunol (2026) — summary generated from the PubMed abstract.
Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.
- Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
- Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
- Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
- Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
- Emerging · Emerging topic under active research
This page is generated from the PubMed record. The Thai description is an automated summary of bibliographic fields and the abstract, not a full translation, and is not medical advice.
- Study type
- Narrative Review
- Journal
- Front Immunol (2026)
- Reported sample size
- —
- Source database
- Europe PMC
- PMID
- 42099594
- PMCID
- PMC13144163
- DOI
- 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1805988
Abstract (original English)
Pancreatic cancer (PC)'s lethality is determined by late diagnosis and treatment resistance. The tumor microenvironment (TME), driven by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), is a crucial contributor. Within the TME, multiple cell types, including cancer cells, stromal cells, and immune cells, produce exosomes (EXOs), which are nanoscale extracellular vesicles (EVs) that mediate intercellular communication. Among these, CAF-derived EXOs (CAF-EXOs) conduct crucial interactions with cancer cells, conveying molecular cargo that promotes tumor proliferation, invasion, metastasis, metabolic reprogramming, and chemoresistance. Because CAF-EXOs provide a source of sensitive blood-based biomarkers for early detection and represent potential therapeutic targets whose disruption might overcome stromal-driven resistance, research on CAF-EXOs is crucial for addressing the fundamental shortcomings of current PC therapy. This narrative review synthesizes the critical significance of CAF-EXOs as master regulators of PC development and therapeutic resistance. We reveal how these EVs convey specialized molecular cargo, including proteins, lipids, and non-coding RNAs. By identifying CAF-EXOs as essential mediators of chemoresistance and stromal immunosuppression, we emphasize their dual potential as attractive liquid biopsy biomarkers and therapeutic targets. The study concludes with a critical
What this study does not prove
- • This study does not prove SVF is an approved treatment or a replacement for standard care.
- • This is a narrative review: it collects no new patient data and does not systematically appraise evidence quality.
Evidence level
Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.
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