Advances in the targeted therapy of tumor-associated fibroblasts

Tumor-associated fibroblasts(TAFs), the most important stromal cells of the tumor microenvironment(TME), have been found to support tumorigenesis and tumor metastasis in a variety of ways, including paracrine, direct contact with cells, immune regulation and extracellular matrix remolding. Therefore, TAFs in the TME have been an optimal target for cancer therapy. In this review, the TAFs targeted therapies are summarized to provide the new strategy for tumor treatments based on the analysis of the location and specific biological phenotypes of TAFs in tumors.