Pancreatic Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts: Where do we go from here?

Abstract Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is a deadly disease and is projected to become the second leading cause of cancer-related death by 2030. A major hallmark is the exuberant host response comprising the tumor microenvironment, of which cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a prevalent component. Despite the gains in understanding of their heterogeneity and functionality from CAF studies in recent years, there are many unanswered questions surrounding this diverse population of cells. Here we summarize the views of several experts in the field, focusing on the current understanding of CAFs and challenges to address.