Is type IV collagen a tumour stroma-derived biomarker for pancreas cancer?
Our results most importantly show that stroma related substances can be evaluated as potential cancer biomarkers, and thereby underline the importance of the tumour microenvironment also in this context.
Our findings demonstrate that activated hepatic stellate cells (i) are responsible for increased peritumour collagen production in non-encapsulated HCC and colorectal metastasis, and (ii) may be implicated in tumour capsule formation in HCC and metastasis stroma development. Thus, stellate cells may influence the local hepatic invasion by these tumours.