Cancer cells produce small amounts of their own form of collagen, creating a unique extracellular matrix that affects the tumor microbiome and protects against immune responses, according to a new study by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. This abnormal collagen structure is fundamentally different from normal collagen made in the human body, providing a highly specific target for therapeutic strategies.
This study, published today in Cancer Cell, builds upon previously published findings from the laboratory of Raghu Kalluri, M.D., Ph.D., chair of Cancer Biology and director of operations for the James P. Allison Institute, to bring a new understanding of the unique roles of collagen made by fibroblasts and by cancer cells.
